Dead Weight
by Ladelle
Summary: Naruto's father promised to protect him from the world, but as with most good intentions, this promise falls short. Sasuke, however, never breaks a promise. And when he decides to protect Naruto himself, he'll have to defy the odds to keep his word. AU
1. Chapter 1

**Dead Weight**

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**Author's Note:** Alright, I'm taking a shot at something more serious. I don't own the characters and I semi-own the story. To be honest, a great deal of this came from the lives of people I know, so I'm going to do my best not to slaughter it. Hopefully it will turn into something really sweet, but it will take a while. For those of you who have read my work before, you know I'm a plotter...so expect character development. This won't be as complicated as Misery Business, but I have high hopes. 

**Warnings:** This will be a two-part story. The first half features a very young Naruto and a much older Sasuke, and the second part will resume after a time skip, making the ages a bit more appropriate for their actions. Also, expect bad language, uncomfortable situations, and drug use.

Aside from that, please review and tell me what you think. I accept all types of reviews, as long as they're constructive. My aim is to become a better author so if you have advice, I'll happily take it.

Thank you for taking the time to read Dead Weight!

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**Prologue**

OOOOooooOOOO

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"I want to tell you a story, Naruto." The man leaned in, a warm smile forming over the tanned features of his face. He pulled the small child onto his lap and waited for his son's baby blue eyes to meet his own, curiosity causing the small child's lips to part in question. 

"What kind of story, daddy?"

The older man paused, taking in the perplexed expression on his little boy's face and he ruffled the untamed tuff of blonde hair that sat atop his small head. Naruto made a face and grinned.

"What's it about?" He repeated anxiously. There was a pause.

"Well, now that I think about it, you probably won't even believe me if I told you." The older man sighed, a hidden smile causing dimples to form on his face. He peered across the room to a small clock on the wall, noting that it was getting close to bedtime for the ball of energy in his lap.

"Awe, I'll believe you! Tell me, daddy….please?" The smaller blonde pulled at his father's t-shirt, begging with wide eyes and quirked lips. The older man caved in, although that had been the plan from the start.

"Alright, but you have to _believe_ in it."

The small boy nodded brightly and rested his chin against the older man's chest, gazing up with a childlike intensity.

"I promise." He whispered.

"Alright. Here we go." Minato pulled a protective arm around the small form of his son and licked his lips.

"A long time ago, I found a nine-tailed fox. He was adorable, but very mysterious. He would sit outside of my apartment each day, waiting for me to get home…of course, this was when I was living on my own—when I was about 15." Minato paused, giving his son a chance to take in the information.

"Whoa…a nine-tailed fox?" It was more of a statement than a question, and Minato felt it as a puff of warm air against his chest. He continued his story.

"Anyhow, as soon as I saw that fox, everything in my life changed. I met your mother, I had you…and I found a good paying job. He was a good luck fox."

Naruto shifted positions, his eyes still wide and intense.

"Did you keep him?"

"No, Naruto. He was a wild fox—a free fox. You have to let animals be free."

The small child nodded eagerly before lifted his head from his father's torso and he tilted his head. "Then what happened to Mr. Good Luck Fox?"

"Well, you see, nine-tailed foxes only come when you need them. I was lonely, and he gave me you. I didn't need him anymore so he went away."

"Oh." Naruto looked a little disappointed. He looked up briefly.

"Well, I'll never meet him then. With you, I'm never lonely." He fell back against his father's frame, his eyes beginning to feel the weight of exhaustion. Minato chuckled lightly.

"Well, there's a reason I'm telling you this story, Naruto. I think that you may meet him very soon."

Naruto's head snapped up, his eyes big and glossy. "You're not leaving again, are you?" His small hands clutched the fabric of his father's denim jeans, and his lips parted for breath.

"No, no. But I got a new job…and it means I will be away more. You will have to be strong and not be lonely while I am away."

Naruto grinned. "I'm already six years old!"

Minato smiled, but his insides turned. He ran a hand through his son's hair and kissed his forehead, motioning towards the one bed that they both shared. He pulled the bedding back and allowed his little boy to shuffle under them, yawning and stretching in the process.

"Get some good sleep, Naruto. We're moving tomorrow."

He crawled under the covers with his little boy and enveloped him gently, content when his son smiled, nodded, and fell silent and calm against his chest.

A good luck fox.

He only wished that something like that existed.

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**A/N-->** Phew. Prologue out.

I will update once a week until I get a larger head start and then I'll probably upgrade to two. Most likely every Sunday, along with Miz Biz.

My regular chapters will be about 6-10 pages so don't worry about length. You know me. Heh, heh.

I hope you enjoyed it.

Until the next.


	2. A Boy and His Life

**Dead Weight**

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**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Thank you for all of the reviews from the prologue! Much appreciated, indeed.

**Warnings:** This story is not fluffy, despite the prologue. There will be drugs, alcohol, and otherwise uncomfortable subject matter. But it will _get_ fluffy. Give it time.

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**Chapter 1: A Boy and His Life**

Naruto shoved the small package into his pocket, ignoring the wary glances he was receiving from other students. He fiddled with it until it was secure in his grip and strode forward, avoiding any teachers or parents that would try to offer him a ride home. He hated that. He wasn't worth the pity. Picking up his pace, he rushed towards the outpost of sidewalk that lined the courtyard of the public school.

A quick glance told him that the sidewalk was clear and in a hasty motion he yanked the thick pullover of his hoodie over his head. It was beginning to rain, and though he knew he would be drenched by the time he got home, he couldn't help but try to avoid the inevitable. From behind him he heard his name being called amongst the crowd of homeward bound students, and he ignored it, as always.

There was always someone. Someone who felt the need to pity him; to offer him things. Just like the package now hidden in the branch pocket of his sweatshirt. He hadn't been able to avoid that gift though, and though his pride was somewhat hurt by the small box of crackers, he couldn't help but hug them tight to his chest. He was hungry, and he didn't have much of anything to eat.

He jogged across the street, carefully making sure that no cars were veering towards the intersection. While most of his fellow students would have turned right at the crooked stop sign, he veered left, walking rather abruptly towards a part of town even he didn't feel comfortable in. And even though he had been there for almost a year's time, the loud voices and vacant eyes of loiterers still tugged at his consciousness.

He felt his grip tighten on the small box in his pocket as he drifted past a rowdy group of teenagers, all gathered over a lopsided table. They were wrestling small baggies into the pockets of their jeans in an attempt to guard them from the rain, and even though their efforts ere meant to be secretive, Naruto know that they had been rolling joints.

As one of the older boys eyed him wearily Naruto retracted his stare, instead focusing on the dimly lit gravel street that led to his home. In the distance, he could even see its neon sign glowing, flickering through bouts of electrical surges. It was big and orange, and through the misty updraft of rain against concrete it almost resembled a ghost on the horizon.

Daybreak Motel.

He could make out the cursive words, if not from his near-perfect eyesight than from memory. After all, he had referred to the post-modern and nearly crumbling building as his house for nearly a year, and it seemed only fitting to remember the place you called home.

As he edged closer he examined the cars in the lot, noting that few people seemed to be there, although his eyes carefully skimmed over an overly attractive blue BMW that seemed out of place. After all, the few people he knew at Daybreak didn't even have the money for rent, much less a brand new shiny vehicle.

_Stolen_, his mind said, and he decided to take the right-hand staircase to the second floor landing in order to avoid passing the expensive vehicle. He clambered up the crumbling concrete stairs, hardly surprised when a few chunks of cement repelled off the edge of the staircase, and he didn't bother using the handrail. It was just as useless as the stairs—if not more dangerous. Rickety and old—like everything else in the small complex. He padded across the dirty flooring to his doorway and loosed a key from his pocket. He peered around, making sure no one was eyeing him and thankfully, he seemed to be alone on this particular day.

He pushed the key into the lock and let himself in, ignoring a small spider that took advantage of the opened entryway. He threw his stuff on he and his father's shared bed and jogged forward.

"Dad?" He set his keys on top of an old and scratched television set and he paced forward towards the miniature kitchen the motel provided. Everything was as he had left it. He frowned.

He picked up a small note that he had carefully hidden amongst a pile of loose paperwork, reading the gentle scribbles of his father for what he assumed to be the fiftieth time, thinking that maybe he had misread it.

But no. In the third sentence it stated that he would be returning in three days. Naruto calculated in his head.

"Today." He said sadly, and he placed the paper back on the counter. It wasn't the first time his father had been late on arrival, but Naruto couldn't help but feel nervous and bitter. Every time his father was late…it meant that something had happened. It meant that his father wouldn't be in a good mood when he returned, and Naruto hated his father when he was drunk. Which was ironic, in a way, because he loved his father with every ounce of his being.

They were a team. His dad worked long and hard to secure Naruto's future, and in return, Naruto went to school and studied hard. He didn't complain, no matter how hard things became, simply because in his eleven-year-old mind, he realized that his father was doing everything possible to support him. And he couldn't complain for that—as long as his father came home from his meetings, he wouldn't complain.

A crack sounded from where he had entered and Naruto turned quickly, mentally scolding himself for not locking the door. His eyes narrowed into a practiced growl, used to unwanted visitors. But this time, it was someone familiar.

"Naruto."

The small blonde child migrated from the kitchen to the combined living and bedroom area to address the familiar voice. Before he could speak, the guest spoke first.

"Why isn't your door locked?" The stranger's lips were pale and his skin was flushed—he had obviously just gotten home from classes at the nearby middle school. Naruto took in his disheveled appearance, noting that only Gaara Sabaku could manage to look presentable with a soaked through black shirt and ruffled wet garnet hair.

"You dyed your hair again." Naruto commented, as he found his way to the older boy. Naruto was short for his age and so he stood on his tip-toes to run his hand through the smooth new color. The middle schooler nodded and frowned.

"You didn't answer my question, though."

Naruto huffed and picked up his keys from the television set. "I forgot."

He could sense an upcoming lecture so he spoke again. "Dad was supposed to be back already. He's going to be _late_ again…"

There was a slim moment of silence and Gaara stepped forward, pulling the blonde into a casual embrace. Naruto hugged the boy back, accustomed to treating him like an older brother. He always thought it was interesting how defensive the red-head became over issues concerning his father, merely because Naruto had grown very used to surviving without him. He shrugged off the feeling and aprted from the other boy, reaching deftly into his pocket.

"Hey, a teacher gave me food today." His voice was unusually low, a sign that he was embarrassed to admit it. He yanked out the small carton and held it up to Gaara, seeking the older boy's approval. Instead, the red-head frowned.

"Again? He didn't do it in front of the other students this time, did he?"

Naruto shrugged and popped open the box. "Yeah, but I was really hungry."

The red head stalked past Naruto and into the kitchen where he opened the cabinet doors and inspected the contents. Naruto watched as he munched on a saltine cracker, content with the low growl that was fading from his belly. When Gaara turned to him, he stopped chewing, simply because the expression on his friend's face was livid.

"What have you been eating?" He asked, and Naruto swallowed the rest of his cracker. He debated on telling the older boy that he hadn't been eating much of anything at all, but he decided to revise it to lessen the older boy's anger. He hated being a burden.

"I've been taking some extra stuff home from lunch at school…"

But Gaara was intelligent and glared at him. "You're lying, aren't you?"

Naruto stopped mid-sentence and blushed, and Gaara stalked towards him. He ran a hand through Naruto's hair in frustration and shook his head.

"Why didn't you come over?" He asked, staring directly into Naruto's baby blue eyes. Naruto frowned.

"I hate being a burden. Besides…dad says I'm strong…"

"That _man_," Gaara said with anger, but stopped mid-sentence. Naruto raised an eyebrow in confusion and Gaara grabbed his hand.

"Come on, get your stuff. You're staying with me tonight."

"But dad—"

"Minato knows where to find you."

Naruto picked up his backpack and keys and followed closely behind a hasty Gaara, who a few moments later took his keys and locked up the room for him. They both walked down the cement landing to a door at the end, where Gaara rapped on the door. After a few moments it opened, and Naruto peered up at Gaara's older brother.

"Hey kiddo!" the man said as Naruto sifted in, smiling. Kankuro was in high school, and Naruto often saw both he and Gaara as his older brothers. They always had a strange way of looking out for him, and Naruto often wondered if they considered him a relation. They were always checking in on him, and always whispering when they thought he couldn't hear.

"Hello Kankuro. Hello Temari." Naruto nodded towards an older blonde woman in the kitchen, pacing around a pot of chili. She had bright red lipstick on and a low cut black dress with heels that made her tower above her siblings. She smiled sweetly and waved, though after a brief moment pointed to a phone that was in her right hand.

"She's been on the phone for nearly an hour. I think this guy's loaded." Kankuro said, and Gaara rolled his eyes. Naruto wondered to himself.

"Is she going on a date?" He questioned, and Gaara took a deep and unyielding breath. Kankuro decided to answer.

"Yeah, I guess you could call it that." The older boy flopped down on a couch they had managed to squeeze into a tiny living area, and he took a long drink from a soda can that was on the floor beneath him. Gaara squeezed Naruto's hand and pulled him forward, directing him towards his bedroom, as the Sabaku's had two. Naruto knew from experience that Gaara and Kankuro shared a room while Temari had her own, and he was used to spending long afternoons with Gaara, either doing homework or chatting. Gaara wasn't much of a talker, but he seemed to like listening, which Naruto liked very much.

The bedroom door closed and the hot and sticky feel of boiling chili was drowned out, along with the low vocal rumble of the television set as Kankuro watched replays of sitcoms on basic cable. Naruto tossed his backpack on the bed and looked down at himself, finally realizing how soaked he had gotten while walking home. He peered up to Gaara who seemed to have realized the same thing about himself.

The older boy was already pulling off his own black shirt, revealing a soft and pale torso that was damp from the impeding moisture. He glanced down at the blonde and licked his lips.

"Did you have any clean clothes to bring?" Gaara questioned, and Naruto shook his head sadly. Gaara nodded. "Alright. Take off your clothes—you can borrow some of mine."

And Naruto was happy. It was rare that he got to borrow Gaara's shirts, but they were always so much bigger than him and they always smelled like cinnamon and dryer sheets. It was funny that Gaara was only three years older than him, because for the most part, Naruto felt as though he was the same age. Except when it came to things like this.

He slid on an oversized black t-shirt, content with how soft it felt against his tanned skin and took a pair of small athletic shorts from the older boy, using the drawstring to pull them tight against his waist.

"I feel small compared to you." He said, and Gaara replied quickly.

"You _are_ small."

Naruto climbed onto Gaara's twin sized bed while he continued to change hiimself, pulling on a loose white shirt and a pair of faded denims. Naruto rolled backwards onto the soft bedding and closed his eyes, wondering when his father would get home.

"Stop worrying about him. I'm sure he'll be fine. Do you have any homework you need help with?"

Naruto sat up and rummaged through his bag while responding.

"You can't just _not_ worry about your father."

Gaara snorted and met him on the bed. "I wish you could."

Naruto rolled his eyes. It was obvious to him that the Sabaku's didn't think very highly of his father, and while Gaara's more opinionated comments were rare, they were usually pretty hurtful. Gaara was strangely protective of him, but Naruto didn't argue. He felt safer in the Subaku's house than his own, though he would never admit it.

He lugged a book onto his lap and thumbed through a couple pages.

"It's starting basic algebra. I can't even do normal math right though…" Naruto frowned and pulled out a pencil, bringing it to his mouth to chew on the tip. Gaara picked up the textbook and the door to his room opened.

"Hey, I'm out. I made dinner—and Naruto you're welcome to have some—and I should be back later on this evening. Wish me luck!"

Naruto smiled and gave her a thumbs up and Gaara only nodded, his expression dim. He was grateful that the blonde was so oblivious, both to his sister's choice in employment and the his own father's.

Naruto turned to him. "I'm supposed to do the first ten questions." He peered over the book to eye the first question and Gaara sighed.

"Alright, it states that 3X + 4 equals 13. Where do you start?" (1)

Naruto stared at the page and bit his lip. His eyes flickered back and forth against the numbers, and Gaara could sense his frustration.

"Alright, I'll let you know a secret. With these types of problems, you always start with the answer."

"13?" Naruto asked, and Gaara nodded. He scribbled out a 13 on a piece of paper and Gaara continued.

"You start with 13 because it's something you know. What is something else that you know in this problem?"

Naruto frowned but quickly regained himself. "That you have to add four?"

Gaara nodded. "But if you had to add it here," he paused and pointed to the problem, "how will you work backwards?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Subtract it?"

"Right." There was a long pause and Naruto jotted out the rest of the problem. "Is it…three?"

Gaara nodded. "Yes."

Naruto smiled brightly, very pleased with himself. He turned to Gaara quickly though and apologized.

"I'm sorry…I know this stuff is really easy…and it's not that I don't pay attention. It's just hard…I get distracted easily…"

Like right now, Gaara thought. He had suspected that the blonde had ADHD for a while, but it wasn't as if he could do anything about it. He was fairly positive that Minato didn't have insurance, and the least he could do was walk Naruto through the problems.

Naruto leaned up towards him. "Can we eat? I'm really hungry."

The box of crackers was lying by his side, hardly touched, and Gaara jumped up. "Yeah, let's go."

They both went to the living room where Kankuro had managed to pull out a workbook for one of his foreign language classes. Naruto wandered over to him while Gaara prepared dishes for them all.

"What are you learning?" Naruto asked, and Kankuro ran a hand through his hair.

"Spanish. Como estas?" He jested, and Naruto laughed.

"Bien, y tu?"

Kankuro rose an eyebrow and tsked. "You know more than me."

Naruto laughed. "Right. You should eat with Gaara and I."

Kankuro peered back at the kitchen where Gaara bustled around and nodded.

"Okay. Let's eat, kiddo."

Gaara distributed the food and they laughed and ate. Nearly two hours had passed when Naruto finally finished his assignment, and Gaara completed a majority of his only a few minutes later. Naruto frowned at the clock and perked his ears, waiting for the familiar sound of the thin black Jetta that usually dropped his father off. Gaara ran a hand through his hair, hard enough to pull Naruto against the bed in a playful manner.

"Stop worrying so much, Naruto."

The small blond sighed. "I just hate it when he's late." He looked sad.

Gaara almost growled, remembering what had happened the last time Minato had returned home 'late'. Naruto had bruises that even now Gaara was sure existed beneath his smooth black shirt, and all because the man couldn't handle his alcohol at work-related binge parties. He ran a finger over Naruto's torso and Naruto giggled.

"You're tickling me."

Gaara almost smiled, lost in the warmth the younger boy always seemed to emit. He had lived a bad life—Gaara knew, because he wouldn't talk about it—and still, he was always smiling. And what astounded him yet was how Naruto always remained perfectly accepting to his father who seemed to be the cause of most of the younger boy's grief. The man had built up a dependency in Naruto, and one that wasn't healthy. Naruto never blamed his father for anything, and even though Gaara knew Minato was working hard for his child's well-being, the results hardly ever showed.

Gaara leaned over Naruto and peered into the boy's eyes, taking in the fluid pools of lapis lazuli. He truly was a gorgeous child. Gaara knew that he would be a looker when he grew up, and a deep part of him really wanted to be there when Naruto was old enough to understand just what kind of feelings he had for the younger boy.

Until then he had decided to just do his best in protecting him from his father and whatever other dangers came his way.

"What?" Naruto asked, peering up into Gaara's inquisitive eyes. The red head shrugged.

"I think we should go to sleep."

As if on cue, Naruto yawned, and the front door to the apartment creaked open, distracting Naruto from agreeing. He sat up quickly.

"Is it my dad?" He said, and Gaara shook his head as a familiar jingle of keys sounded. He placed a hand against Naruto's chest, easing him back against the bed in a motion to make him stay put. Something wasn't right.

He opened the door to the living area and Naruto watched him, his eyes wide and curious.

"What happened?" Kankuro's voice said, and when Temari responded, her voice sounded weak.

"It doesn't matter. I got the money."

"Temari…" Gaara's voice was on edge. He was angry, very angry.

"I said it doesn't matter!" She shouted, and Naruto felt his heart beat faster, wondering just what could have happened in the few hours the older woman had been gone. He crept forward quietly, hoping to sneak a peak without Gaara noticing, considering he was doing a good job at keeping the door closed at an angle that prohibited Naruto from seeing.

He slid forward and heard Kankuro speak again.

"I'll fucking kill him, Temari. Where is he?"

Naruto knelt down and twisted his head, getting a good view of Temari's legs. He knelt down lower, tracing the outline of her hips, her bust, and he fell backwards, his eyes wide in shock. Her face was bruised like someone had hit her. And not just once.

Gaara turned as Naruto cried out and he immediately rolled his eyes—though he wasn't annoyed, only frustrated that Naruto had seen.

"Why is she—why is her—" Gaara shushed him and pulled him into the bathroom.

"Get ready for bed. Temari's fine, okay? Trust me."

Naruto stared with disbelief before turning on the faucet to wash his face. Gaara disappeared out the door and Naruto finished quickly, wondering what had happened. He was young and curious.

He crept to the door to eavesdrop, but Gaara entered too soon.

"Alright—let's go to bed."

Naruto frowned and looked at the door, but knew that Gaara wouldn't tell him anything else. He sighed and made a small prayer, hoping that the woman he had come to think of as his own mother was alright, and he also thanked God for the kindness the Sabaku's had.

He climbed into the bed and lay down on his side, still shaken from the sight of Temari's bruised and bloody complexion. From behind him Gaara's arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him back against the older teen's torso. Naruto snuggled back against it and felt Gaara's hand run through his hair.

"Just don't think about it…Go to sleep…"

And with the comforting feel of his older 'brother' behind him, Naruto drifted off into a deep and dreamless sleep.

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A/N--> Awe. I love Gaara as an older brother figure. 

(1) I hate author notes inside stories but I really felt the need. won't let me put in an equal sign so I had to write it out!! How lame is that...

R&R please!


	3. Here Comes Trouble

**Dead Weight**

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**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Okay! I'm a day late, I know. Thank you for your patience; it's been a busy weekend!

First off, I want to thank Rasengan22 for reviewing these first few chapters for me and to announce that I did go back and upload the 'real' chapter one, and that this one has been reviewed and re-edited also. Thanks also to Akaru-chan and her beta work as well.

Also, I'm taking a tiny little break to write ahead on all of my stories so the next chapter for this guy will be out in two weeks. This will also include updates to all of my other stories as well.

Thanks for all of the reviews!

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**Chapter 2: Here Comes Trouble**

Naruto rolled over, his breath hitching against the smooth sheets of Gaara's bed. He let his eyes drift open and stifled a yawn, wondering where the familiar warmth beside him had vanished to. He blinked a few times and adjusted to the bright light of the rising sun before turning to the beaten doorway leading to the living area.

Gaara sifted through, his feet padding lightly on the thinly carpeted floor, holding a bundle of clothes in his hand. He glanced down at the blonde boy.

"Are you awake?" He questioned, his emerald eyes contrasting his new auburn hair. Naruto grinned and pulled himself up, swinging his legs off the side of the bed.

"Yeah—is my dad back?" Even though he had endured a long and restful sleep, the pale silhouette of his father still haunted his mind. Although he knew that Gaara had a strong distaste for his father, Naruto also knew that Gaara understood family bonds.

The redhead shook his head however, and tossed the lump of clothes to him. "No, but you need to get ready for school. Minato would want you to go."

Naruto frowned, his small brow creasing with worry. Gaara ruffled his hair and knelt down, making eye contact with his crystalline eyes.

"Come on. I'm sure he'll be back tonight. He's never been later than a day, right?" Gaara smiled, an expression that Naruto rarely saw. The red-head's lips curled up evenly and a ghostly blush dusted his pale cheeks, and Naruto found himself entranced by the gentle feeling that seemed to emanate from the emerald eyes that held him captive. He felt himself smile almost automatically, nodding.

Gaara moved away from the edge of the bed, leaving room for Naruto to go shower and change. Before Naruto entered the turquoise tiled restroom he twisted around, aiming one more question at his closest friend.

"Is Temari alright?"

Gaara stalled for a moment and his expression dimmed just long enough for Naruto to catch the change. The older teen nodded.

"Yeah. I'll walk you to school today. Hurry up."

Naruto nodded and padded into the room, closing the door on the red headed boy. Gaara frowned and drifted out to the living room, closing the bedroom door behind him. He turned towards the couch and flicked the top of his brother's head, earning a disgruntled curse from the older boy.

"What the hell was that for?" Kankuro blanched, and Gaara narrowed his eyes.

"Why haven't you left yet?" Gaara asked, eyeing the small alarm clock placed on a marred couch side table. His older brother ran a hand through his hair and sat forward, tying his shoe.

"I'm skipping first period. I was up really late last night—that guy really did a number to Tem."

There was a moment of silence before Gaara seated himself to the arm of the couch, straightening out the black fishnet underlay of shirt that clung to his arms. He frowned aggressively and shook his head.

"She shouldn't be doing this shit."

Kankuro finished tying his laces and peered up at his younger sibling, used to his younger brother's remarks. He smiled carefully, a small streak of sadness causing dimples to form on his cheeks.

"I know. But she's doing it for us, so we should just be grateful."

Gaara rolled his eyes and stood up, pacing to the kitchen. Naruto's box of crackers had ended up on the counter and Gaara picked it up and examined it, his lips pursing in another surge of annoyance.

"That prick didn't leave anything for Naruto to eat."

"What do you mean?" Kankuro asked, shoving a few textbooks into his book bag. He was kneeling on the floor and Gaara glared at him from across the small room.

"What do you think I mean? When I picked him up yesterday, his kitchen was completely empty. He's been starving himself—I can tell. He's too thin."

Kankuro's eyes narrowed, and his expression darkened. He stood up and approached his younger brother, his voice low.

"When was he supposed to be back?"

Gaara tossed the box onto the counter and shoved his hands into the pockets of his black cargo jeans. He shrugged and rolled his eyes.

"Yesterday. But who the fuck knows. Every time he leaves he takes longer to come back."

Kankuro grimaced. "That's a bad sign."

"I know." Gaara turned around and leaned on the counter, twisting his head to meet his brother's eyes. He looked worried, which was rare for the red-head's grim personality.

"Do you think he's coming back this time?"

Gaara shook his head. "If he's not back by tonight…"

There was a pause and they both heard the shower faucet shut off, a sign to lower their voices. Naruto was very naïve when it came to his father's dealings, and they had made a great effort not to trouble the child with it. Kankuro leaned in closer.

"How much money does he owe them this time?" He nearly whispered, and Gaara shook his head, a solemn sigh of exertion escaping his lips.

"Enough, apparently. Who keeps a dealer four days in order to settle a debt? Even if he does come back tonight, next time, he's fucked."

From beside them the door peaked open and Naruto emerged, his hair wet and wavy against his head. He pulled his backpack around his shoulders and narrowed his eyes.

"If you guys are done talking about my dad, we should go."

Kankuro frowned and Gaara's expression remained unchanging He knew that Naruto hadn't heard anything, but he also recognized that Naruto was a very intelligent child—if given the right opportunities. He was sure that Naruto had an idea of what his father did for a living and he was even more positive that he had developed an unhealthy way of distracting himself from it. He didn't know all the details and Gaara intended to keep it that way. The world had enough screwed up kids, and he'd be damned if he willingly allowed Naruto to become a part of that statistic.

"We were just thinking that you should come over for dinner again tonight." Kankuro lied, although he fully intended for Naruto to come over instead of waiting alone for his father in their pitiful suite.

Naruto nodded, but only slightly. "Only if dad's not home." After a moment, he amended his statement. "And he should be home."

Kankuro gave Gaara wary look before stepping forward towards the front door.

"Come on; I'll walk you guys up to 2nd."

Gaara nodded and motioned for Naruto to exit first, pulling both he and Naruto's set of keys from the couch as he followed the younger boy out. Kankuro locked the door behind them all and led the way to the first level, eyeing a dangerous collection of men huddled by the maintenance office.

Gaara instinctively pulled Naruto in close to him and Naruto avoided eye contact with the men, two of which had switchblades in plain sight. They seemed unaffected by the trio's departure, and uninterested in general, a feeling that made Naruto feel content.

When people looked at him that way…it scared him.

Gaara loosened his grip as they made it to the edge of the complex, and from in front of them, Kankuro cursed.

"I forgot. That fucking study group's going to be over here tonight."

Naruto hazarded a laugh as Gaara raised and eyebrow in annoyance.

"Why are they coming here?"

There was a pause as the small group found the sidewalk to the main street, and Naruto could see the outer edge of his elementary school up the way. When Kankuro spoke, his voice sounded very low, and very angry.

"Fucking Uchiha brat. He said he couldn't stand someone like me in his house—that it'd make it dirty or something."

Gaara shook his head in annoyance. "He's got some ego, coming out here."

Kankuro laughed and nodded. "Yeah. Money's not gonna save that pretty little head of his."

Naruto frowned and glanced up at the two older boys. "Is he rich or something?"

Kankuro let out a loud laugh and the frown on Gaara's face only grew.

"Yeah, he's set for life."

Naruto was intrigued. He had never met anyone rich before, much less someone close to his age. Not that sixteen was incredibly close to eleven, but in his eyes, it was close enough. They hit the intersection of Madison and 2nd, and Kankuro waved an impatient hand.

"The bus will be here any minute. I'll see you kids after school. Straight home—no stalls, alright? It's almost the fourth and you know how rowdy it gets."

Gaara nodded irritably and Naruto bit his lip as he eyed his school.

"You okay the rest of the way?" Gaara asked, misreading Naruto's nervous behavior. The blonde nodded and smiled, attempting to build his confidence for another day at Washington Elementary. Gaara nodded slightly and turned to walk in the opposite direction.

"Be careful—and come over after school's out, got it?" Naruto nodded and opened his mouth to speak, but Gaara beat him to it.

"—If you're dad's not there, of course."

Naruto nodded and smiled. "Bye Gaara."

Naruto watched as the red head turned away and disappeared into a crowd of other students his age, all waiting for a bus ride to the city middle school. He felt jealous suddenly, wishing that he were older, wishing that he were about to graduate from middle school just like Gaara. He wanted to be like him—cool, quiet and strong. People could read him like a book—Naruto could tell. They parted for him as he made his way onto the yellow bus, eyeing him with curious glances, afraid and intrigued by him all in the same.

And Naruto wished that he had that. But instead, for the most part, he was afraid. Afraid of going home for the strangers that loitered around, and afraid to go to school for fear of teachers asking him questions he didn't want to answer. He felt young and childlike, even though it was obvious to him he was a great deal more mature than other students his age. As he approached the entrance doors to his school he tightened his grip on his backpack, trying to avoid the glances he was receiving from his fellow classmates.

After his teacher's emotional display yesterday, everyone was aware that he was poor, and he was sure to receive some comments about the box of food that had been jammed into his hand in front of his entire class. He stepped inside, quiet and dim, wishing that he could turn around and go back to Gaara. But he couldn't, so he pursed his lips and trudged forward, entering room 201 and taking his usual seat quietly.

He was used to being alone, so he ignored the fact that no one seemed to acknowledge his existence. He pulled out his small spiral notebook and a pencil and sat patiently, eyeing the front of the room, wondering vaguely if his father would be waiting for him when the school bell chimed at 2 o'clock. That thought alone made him smile, but from beside him, a girl spoke up.

"Hey, hey. Is it true—that you're starving?" Her eyes were big and blue, just like his, but they weren't as vacant. Naruto narrowed his eyes and ignored her turning to face the front of the room again. But she was relentless and leaned even closer to him.

"Well, is it? What kind of parent doesn't have money for food?"

Naruto bit his lip, anger beginning to oscillate his conscious. He could take the personal attacks, but there was no way he was going to stand a popular 5th grade brown-noser insulting his father.

The blonde girl frowned and stood up, placing a hand on her hip. This seemed to draw the attention of the class and they all stared, wondering what had made the infamous Ino so upset. Naruto only glared sideways at her, his pencil tapping impatiently against the desk.

"It must suck to be poor _and_ deaf."

The class broke out into giggles and Naruto continued to glare, tension building up inside of him. He was normally a fairly shy student and there were few people who could push his buttons…but there were _other _times; times when he felt like punching the closest thing to him. Not even Gaara knew this side of him.

"Hmph. Well, the apple never falls far from the tree. You're probably just as dumb as your daddy."

Naruto flew upward, his desk grinding against the linoleum beneath him and he stretched towards the girl. His eyes had narrowed considerably and his fist was clenched, but before he could push himself towards the girl a lean figure intercepted his path.

"Hmm. And I suppose you're just as ugly as your mother, right?"

Naruto stopped a moment and took in the figure before him, his tension seeping away like rainwater from a sidewalk runway. His eyes widened as he took in the new face—a boy, his age, with dark brown hair and cold brown eyes. His attitude reminded Naruto of Gaara—only the boy was younger.

Ino stared for a few moments before raising her eyebrow and quirking her lip.

"And just who are you?" She asked, her small face tensing.

The new boy slid into a seat behind Naruto and shrugged.

"The new kid." He said dismally, and turned his attention to the front of the room, making an expression that implied thathe as done conversing with the blonde haired girl. She stared for a few moments, unsure of what to say before the teacher entered the room, his jet-black hair oiled against his structured face.

He stumbled to his desk and dropped his bag on it, and Ino sat down, a look of relief passing over her features.

Naruto sat down and bit his lip before turning round to the other boy. The teacher was still unloading his bag, and Naruto wasn't one to be impolite.

"Thank you." He said lightly, and the new kid only glared in response.

"What's wrong with you, anyway? She's a girl for fuck's sake."

Naruto's eyes widened, not used to that sort of language for someone his age. He let his attention degrade a little, and he sighed with irritation.

"Whatever. Thank you, anyway."

Naruto turned back around and opened his notebook, not bothering to think about the stranger behind him. It wasn't in his nature to make friends with rebels, and it was obvious that the kid behind him hadn't meant to defend him, only to shut Ino up.

The teacher started the math lesson and Naruto extracted his homework, satisfied to see it finished and to understand everything he had done. He silently thanked Gaara.

From the front of the room, the teacher paused.

"Ah, I forgot we had a new student. Would you care to introduce yourself?"

It was a very direct request, and Naruto didn't bother to turn and face the newcomer. In fact, he didn't even hear him stand up from his seat. Instead, the stranger released a low groan.

"Kiba. That's my name, but please don't wear it out."

Naruto rolled his eyes. Typical.

The teacher seemed appeased and he responded with his own introduction.

"My name is Gai. I will be your homeroom teacher for the remainder of this year."

There didn't seem to be any indication of acknowledgement as Gai continued to stare politely, a wide and energetic smile creasing the oily features of his face. Naruto tapped his pencil against his notebook and looked towards the left, letting his vision rake past his fellow students and out towards the giant class window.

The sun was poking out from behind dark clouds and shedding light on the small campus of the school. Naruto desperatelywished that it was recess. He always preferred to be outside, and today, he definitely felt like leaving. No only could he tell Ino wasn't finished with him, buthe also had a good feeling that his father would be home any minute.

The door to the classroom opened and a familiar girl entered, her hair cut short to frame her face. Gai paused and took a small yellow sheet of paper from her before peering up to Naruto.

"Uzumaki, the counseling center wants you."

Naruto groaned. They only wanted him when they had questions. And he was smart, because his father had warned him.

"_Sometimes they'll try to ask you things…things to make me look bad. If you tell them the truth, they'll take you away from me…so please, Naru-chan, don't make me look like a bad parent…"_

Naruto gathered his belongings and stood up, ignoring the whistles other kids made to imply that he was in trouble. He took the note from Gai and followed the girl out, waiting until they were a little ways down the hall before talking.

"What is it about this time, Hinata?"

The girl blushed and fiddled with her fingers, her expression sad. Like Naruto, she also had a troubled home life, though in Naruto's opinion, hers was much worse. While Naruto's father was never home in order to earn money, Hinata's father was just never home. She had failed an elite academy exam as a child, and ever since, her parents had almost completely abandoned her for her younger sibling.

"I think it's about food. Gai told Tsunade you were getting thin…I think they are wondering if you're eating okay."

Hinata was a teacher's assistant for the first quarter of the day and she always served as the perfect informant for Naruto. It gave him time to think up things to say to avoid incriminating his father. He smiled as they found the counseling office, and saluted the younger girl.

"Thanks Hinata-chan." He dipped into the office and handed his yellow paper to the receptionist, who pointed to a familiar room. Naruto stalked forward and entered the office of Tsunade, the only counselor in the school who was hell bent on proving that Minato's father was unacceptable as a parent.

He sat down, an automatic wall building in his mind. He hated being badgered, and he hated having to lie. She turned to him from her desk, a revealing blouse exposing the size of her bust and she smiled sweetly.

"And how are you today, Naruto?" Her voice was like candy, but they both heard the serious undertone.

Naruto shifted into a more comfortable sitting position and placed his backpack on the floor, being careful to keep his expression unreadable.

"Fine. How are you?"

Tsunade's smile faded slightly and she nodded. "I'm doing alright. I'm a little worried about you though."

Naruto rolled his eyes. Here it came.

"I've been hearing that you've been really tired in your classes and that you haven't been eating lunches. It's not healthy not to eat, Naruto."

The blonde haired boy glared lightly out of annoyance, but tried to maintain a fairly neutral expression.

"I've been studying my math hard; that's why I've been tired. And I have been eating my lunches—just not with the other kids."

Tsunade raised and eyebrow. "Oh, and why is that?"

Naruto frowned. "Eating with them is pointless. They hate me."

The older woman let out a nervous laugh before shaking her head. "I hardly believe that, Naruto."

Naruto chose not to answer. After a moment, Tsunade asked another question.

"Where is your father?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "At work."

She leaned in towards him, her blouse bulging at the awkward angle. Naruto glared.

"When's the last time you saw your father, Naruto?"

The blonde sat back in his chair. "Last night." He lied.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Really. Is he still home?"

Naruto licked his lips. "I just told you Tsunade-baa, he's at work."

The older woman paused for a moment, searching for a question that the child couldn't escape, but Naruto felt drained. He stood up, irritated and gathered his bag into his arms and turned towards the door. Tsunade raised an eyebrow.

"Where are you going, Naruto?"

The blonde shrugged. "I don't feel well. I'm going home."

The older woman jumped up and attempted to grab him be Naruto was too quick.

"You can't leave unless a parent comes to pick you up." She said quickly, but Naruto waved his keys in the air as he left the small office.

. He couldn't do it anymore—school was getting more and more difficult for him to do. As easy as the work was, he couldn't take the pressure.

The students, the teachers…It was becoming too much.

He exited the building, surprised that Tsunade hadn't come after him more rigorously and turned towards the sidewalk. It was recess, and he was easily lost in the crowds of students.

Naruto sifted forward, eager to get home and wait for his father. He heard footsteps behind him and turned, surprised to see the new student trailing him.

"And where do you think you're going?" He asked, and Naruto stopped to face him.

"Home. What's it to you?"

The new student—Kiba, was that his name?—grinned almost barbarically. He dropped a hand to his pocket and pulled out a small bag, filled with white powder. Naruto's eyes widened, and Kiba spoke.

"Want company?"

* * *

A/N--> Okay, again, sorry for the delay. 

First of all, there's a part in here where Kankuro says, "You know how crazy it gets around the fourth." I don't know about you guys, but in my neighborhood the fourth of July brings out the pyro lunatics. Fireworks are going off the entire frickin' week and kids are home alone with sparklers...yeah, if I had a cute little kid like NAruto I wouldn't want him out and about in all that.

Next, I know a few of you are going to say a few things like, 'Kiba is WAY to young to have drugs' (and ha--with my luck I bet they're not even reading this) but I just want to say that this story is based off life experiences from my co-workers at the bank. So, while it's incredibly sad and horrific, it is possible and it has been made to happen on occasion.

Again, next upate should be around the 26th for all of my stories. Thank you SOOOO much for all of your reviews and advice. I love you all to bits.

Oh, and a lot of you are confusing my break with discontinuing my stories. One word: NEVER.

My New Year's resolution from last year was to never leave a fic undone so no worries--I'm true to my word.

It's my ninja way.

(smiles)


	4. Boy Loves Father

**Dead Weight**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Back again! Sorry for the wait.

* * *

**Chapter 3: Boy Loves Father**

"Want company?" Kiba asked.

Naruto stared for a moment, his eyes darting back and forth between the brunette's challenging glare and the half-concealed bag of cocaine poking out from behind his jacket. He frowned and turned away, anxious to leave the school grounds.

"I should have known you were a chicken. Bet you don't even know what the fuck it is." Naruto could feel Kiba's smirk burning into his back, testing his patience. It worked, because Naruto turned around, his bright blue eyes savagely narrow.

"I do too know what that crap is, and I'm not going to get high with you." The blonde watched as Kiba's expression faded slightly, turning into what seemed more like a pale curiosity. After a long moment of silence, Naruto whipped around, content at his ability to make the brown-haired rebel become speechless, and he took off towards the closest intersection.

"There's no need for you to get testy." Kiba's voice was annoyingly close, and Naruto glared at him through sidelong eyes as the stranger followed him.

"Why are you harassing me?" Naruto asked, though he didn't bother slowing his pace. He needed to make it to 2nd before the recess whistles sounded in order to escape unnoticed.

"Harassing? Ha." The boy responded, matching his pace. "I'm just trying to figure out what kind of boy allows himself to be bullied by a girl."

Naruto jogged across the intersection as the walk signal blinked in white, and whirled behind a cement gate as the familiar whistles of Washington Elementary echoed across the landing. Kiba stared back at the school vacantly, his eyes amused, and Naruto grabbed the lower hem of his shirt and yanked him to the ground.

"We'll get caught if you stand there, you idiot." Naruto said softly, as though he stood a chance of being heard. Kiba laughed whole-heartedly and slid onto the prickly bundle of weeds and rocks below, staring at Naruto as he listened for an all-clear. His eyes were low and wide, and he licked his lips.

"You have pretty eyes." Kiba stated, and Naruto turned to him and blinked. The brunette was staring at him rather passively, and it made him want to blush.

"You're weird." Naruto said and he stood up, dusting dirt from his denim pants. He pursed his lips and extended a hand to the other boy, his polite nature over-writing his distaste for Kiba's character. After yanking Kiba to his feet, Naruto sighed.

"Well, I'm going home. See you around." He shuffled forward, ignoring the intense gaze that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He wasn't surprised, however, when the rebel jogged up to his side.

"What's with you, anyway? You afraid of people or somethin'?" Kiba let the words ripple from his mouth, an air of ignorance implying he didn't care if he insulted the blonde haired boy. "I mean, you're like a schizo. Silent like a fuckin' mute and then sneakin' around and shit like James Bond. You're the weirdo."

Naruto almost smiled at the sarcasm, but he kept his expression neutral as he spoke. "What if I am a schizo?"

There was a slight pause as Naruto eyed the brunette, letting his words drape him like a cold blanket. Naruto let his lips part slightly, and he could tell that Kiba was contemplating his response, debating on if it were possible. Naruto kept his icy eyes narrowed as Kiba grinned.

"Then so am I, since I don't like any of those fuckers either."

Naruto smiled lightly and walked forward, wondering why Kiba had attached himself to him so quickly. It was normal for people to avoid him because of his well known poverty, and Naruto couldn't help but wonder if the other child had motives. As if reading his mind, Kiba spoke again.

"I've been waiting to meet someone like me."

Naruto quirked a confused expression towards him and glared. "We are not alike."

Kiba laughed and pulled his arms behind his head in a casual manner. He grinned like a wild animal and bared a sharp canine tooth.

"I wouldn't say that," he commented. "After all, you and I are probably the only ones who know just what this pixie dust is." He glanced down to the small bulge in his jean jacket pocket, and Naruto nodded. What he said was true, but Naruto didn't want friends. He was so used to being alone.

"Let me guess," Kiba began again, "You're really poor and your daddy's never home…You've probably been babysat by a couple prostitutes, and you've never had any close friends."

Naruto eyed him dangerously and Kiba smirked. "Am I right?"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "No. I've never met a prostitute before, and I have a very close friend. He's like a brother."

Kiba's smile grew and he knelt forward over Naruto, taking in the blue pools of calm with an intensity Naruto wasn't used to. It made him stop walking and he could feel Kiba's breath over his cheek.

"Has he ever…done anything to you?"

Naruto blushed, although he didn't know why. Done what? His question seemed awfully vague.

"What are you talking about?" Naruto questioned, and Kiba quirked an eyebrow, giggling to himself.

"Ah, one of those types. I'll let your brother do it in his own time, then. What about me though? Guess my life story…"

Naruto was confused and he was beginning to think that Kiba was crazy. Something was definitely off about this boy, and something Naruto couldn't place. He seemed older for some reason, and it made Naruto feel uncomfortable. He thought for a moment, and spoke.

"You're not poor. Your clothes are too nice—and you've got a bag of coke. My guess is, you've got all the money in the world…and no love to balance it out."

Kiba was quiet for a minute and then burst out laughing. "How fucking poetic. But no, I'm as normal as they come."

Naruto could hear a twinge of denial in the boy's voice, and wondered just what secrets Kiba was hiding. He doubted it was only one, especially with the boy's erratic behavior, but he shrugged it off. In all honesty, he could care less.

He was approaching his complex and noted that the door to his apartment was open by a tiny amount. His heart pounded and he felt his eyes widen.

"Daddy…" He said, and he stepped forward with a momentum that wasn't his own. From beside him Kiba frowned, wondering just what had happened in the short period of silence.

Naruto jogged forward, racing up the landing with an unparalleled pace, his eyes brimming with tears.

"Dad?" He pressed open the door and went inside, unaware of the brunette child that followed his every footstep from behind.

* * *

Gaara left at lunch. He was tired and fed up with studying. And besides, if Kankuro could miss a class, so could he. 

He drifted off of the North Bus, wondering just what kind of feeling was brewing in the pit of his stomach. He was nervous, and for some reason, his thoughts kept centering around Naruto. More specifically, his father.

As Gaara made the long cross to his side street he began to walk faster, the impatient circulation of his adrenaline pulsing to the balls of his feet. He saw the motel and he ignored the sidelong glances of weary adults drifting idly by as he pulled himself up the rickety old stairway and to Naruto's door.

"I wouldn't go in there." said a voice from beside him, and Gaara turned abruptly to the side, caught of guard by a younger boy who he hadn't noticed before. He looked at the door curiously before returning his attention to the child, wondering just who he was.

"Why is that?" He said coolly.

"He wouldn't even let me in." The boy glanced upwards and Gaara raised an eyebrow, unsure of what to say. The child was talking as if he and Naruto were friends—close friends. But Gaara was skeptical. The boy was dressed too nicely to have taken a general interest in Naruto and there was something deceitful in his eyes—something that made the hair on the back of Gaara's neck stand straight and tickle his nerves.

"Why would he let you in?" Gaara said with conviction. As dangerous as the young child beneath him could be, Gaara knew that he could be ten times worse. He had his own track record to account for, and though his days of violence had disappeared upon the responsibility of young Naruto, he wasn't afraid to put people in their place.

Gaara didn't leave any time for the boy to answer before he pushed open the door and let himself in. He vaguely wondered why Naruto was missing school, but the question vanished as soon as he witnessed an older man asleep on the shared twin bed.

Long and unkept blonde hair fell across a ruffled pillow like a fraying blanket, and as Gaara's eyes roamed the bed's surface he noticed a familiar child curled up beside him. The smaller blonde peered up passively as Gaara walked forward and rolled off of the bed to meet him.

"Daddy's back." He said in a low whisper. Gaara wondered if it was normal for 11 year olds to refer to their fathers as 'daddy' so casually, but he lost his train of thought as the man groaned into the bed and rolled onto his back.

"—isat you?" The figure mumbled, and Gaara's stomach immediately dropped. Not only was Minato back, but as usual, he was drunk. He glanced down at Naruto who was still smiling brightly, content to his father's arrival. His blue eyes were a Caribbean hue in the darkly lit room and Gaara knelt down next to Naruto, drawing his attention away from the older man.

"Let's let your dad get some rest, okay? He can come get you when he wakes up."

Gaara searched the younger boy's eyes with a piercing force, willing the small blond to eagerly obey. Naruto looked pensive and he glanced at the sleeping figure skeptically.

"But what if he gets worried when he wakes up?"

Gaara shook his head. "Naruto, he knows where to find you."

Naruto glanced back to the older man and smiled softly, content that his father was home. Gaara felt his insides twist at the boy's wistful expression but he decided it as a lecture better saved for another time.

"Alright." Naruto said. "Let's go…although, I don't have any homework to do."

Gaara had almost forgotten that it was early afternoon and that Naruto had seemingly missed school. He frowned and debated lecturing him for that fact, but the truth was that he was guilty of the same thing.

Gaara watched as Naruto gathered his keys in his hand and he led the younger boy out of the small room and onto the second floor landing. As Naruto locked the door behind him Gaara looked around for the younger boy he had seen earlier, his eyes narrow.

"Naruto…did you bring a friend home from school?"

The blonde turned to him quickly, his wide. "Oh, you mean Kiba? No…he followed me."

Gaara felt slightly relieved that the brown haired youth wasn't Naruto's friend, but the fact that he had been followed didn't sit well in his stomach. He unlocked the door to his own home and let Naruto in first, making sure to lock the door after they had both entered. He frowned.

"I don't want you to hang out with him." Gaara said briskly, his voice sounding almost threatening. Naruto glanced up to him with curious eyes, and licked his lips.

"He is weird, isn't he? He wanted me to get high with him. I told him no."

Gaara felt his own eyes widen at the fact. From his memory, the other boy hadn't been much older than Naruto. He went to the kitchen and retrieved a box of cookies for the two to snack on.

"I definitely never want to see you with him. Will you promise me?"

Naruto took a cookie from Gaara's hand and he looked annoyed. "I told him no."

Gaara thought for a moment before speaking.

"I'm not saying that you can't handle yourself. But that kid…Naruto, please promise me."

It was a rarity for Gaara to beg for anything and Naruto found it interesting that he was begging for him not to see the new student. Though he was confused he nodded in agreement, knowing full well that Gaara was more experienced and intelligent than himself when it came to the wrong crowds. He bobbed his head in a 'yes' fashion.

Looking relieved, Gaara sat down on the couch and patted the seat next to him to which Naruto sat. He munched his cookie and Gaara glanced down at him.

"Why did you leave school today?"

Naruto shrugged. "Ms. Tsunade was asking me things again."

Gaara frowned and ate a cookie himself. He was grateful that the school took effort to notice childhood distress, but in the same light, he didn't want Naruto to end up another victim of child services. He had struggled with that as a child, but luckily he had had an older sibling to take him in. Though he was sure if the government found out her means of employment, he would probably be put under the state's jurisdiction. He felt his breathing hasten under the thought.

"What did you tell her?" He asked, curious. Naruto's expression dimmed and his chewing slowed.

"That dad was at work…I don't know. I hate her voice. She knows I lie but she smiles anyway."

Gaara nodded. "Adults are like that."

Naruto took a deep breath and stretched, and action that caught Gaara off guard.

"Are you tired?"

Naruto opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by the door to the motel opening and a very disgruntled Kankuro stepping inside. He locked the door quickly and then turned to the duo, his scowl deepening when he looked at the clock.

"And why aren't you two in school?"

Kankuro glared at Gaara, as if holding him responsible.

"Minato is back." The redhead said simply and Kankuro's expression turned from a look of annoyance to one of concern. Gaara's eyes showed the same display of affection but both boys knew better than to speak ill of the man in front of their smaller blonde counterpart.

Kankuro sighed.

"What are you so upset about?" Gaara asked, after Kankuro bustled into the kitchen and began to clean.

The brunette ran a hand through his wild hair and shook his head. "The study group, remember?"

Naruto recalled the conversation from earlier and nodded quickly. "That's tonight, isn't it?"

Kankuro glared for a moment and bit his lip. "Those idiots are going to be here in less than twenty minutes. I feel like I should clean or something…even though it won't really matter."

There was a pause as a weight settled in the apartment, and Naruto asked a question.

"Why is only a house considered a home?" The blonde munched on a cookie with thought, not realizing the gravity of his question. Gaara's eyes fell slightly, and Kankuro bit his lip.

"It's not." The oldest boy said. "Only ignorant idiots think things like that—and only assholes say it."

Naruto's eyes grew wide at the curse, to which Gaara glared at his older brother. "Though he's right, don't use language like that, Naruto."

Kankuro apologized and continued to shuffle around the small estate, picking up trash and trying to hide signs of their financial distress. He assumed it wouldn't matter due to the location and name of his residence, but he shrugged away the embarrassment. After all, it wasn't his fault his study group had been intent on having it at his home.

Naruto and Gaara had helped in the small plight, hiding trinkets and bills in the shared bedrooms. It wasn't long before a knock sounded on the door though, and Kankuro cursed.

"Gaara—!" He called from the bathroom as he attempted to stash away a few of Temari's more provocative outfits.

The redhead groaned, not excited to be the one to welcome the people his brother talked about so disjointedly. Another impatient knock sounded on the door. He motioned Naruto to stay in the kitchen and he opened the door, his eyes slipping into a practiced glare.

"Gods, _please_ just let us in!" A slender girl shuffled into the small room, her eyes low and anxious. She was clutching a leather handbag and her lips were brightly glossed, contrasting her bright green eyes. "All people do is _stare_ out there."

From behind her two other people entered, and Gaara immediately closed the door behind them, ignoring their bantering small talk.

"Why are we meeting here again?" The girl asked, her eyes scanning the living area with skepticism. She kept her purse clutched to her abdomen as she turned to one of her study partners, a tall and handsome student who would have been more attractive if he hadn't looked so bored. He merely shrugged at her comment before speaking suggestively.

"Ask Uchiha."

Naruto, who had been crouched in the kitchen, watched the display with a keen interest. He had never met someone from a private academy aside from Kankuro and he was drawn to how much older they all looked. It took him a moment to remember that they were all five years his senior, but still—it was as if their wallets gave them a sort of wisdom and energy that he hadn't seen before.

The girl was tall and lean, her small lips parted in what seemed to be a permanent pout. Her hair was a soft strawberry blonde that tended to fade pink in the dimmed lighting of the room, showing glimpses of blonde at the roots.

The tallest boy had a tight ponytail bound on the highest part of his scalp and his features were strangely defined for his age. Naruto guessed that he could pass off as an adult if he really wanted, especially dressed in the pair of loose khakis and professional button up shirt that he was currently wearing.

Naruto waited for the two to move to get a glimpse of the third party, the one he assumed to be 'Uchiha'. When the girl made a hesitant transition to the couch Naruto caught sight of him and he felt his stomach grow tight.

The boy was, well, beautiful.

Naruto had never thought about another person in such a way before, but in his small mind, it was the only word he could find. The teenager was tall and thin and undeniably pale. His skin was like coffee with too much creamer and his lips were a soft pink against the alabaster canvas. Though these features were unique and alluring, it was the stranger's eyes that caught Naruto off guard.

Dark, mysterious, colorless—these were all thoughts that passed through Naruto's mind as he examined the older boy, taking in his presence like a strong gust of wind, one that makes you lose your breath and inhale deeply with an almost commanding force. He could almost smell the boy's cologne and it tangled in his nostrils like a spell, making him close his eyes and welcome the feeling.

"Well, Sasuke? Why are we here and not at your place?" The girl seemed to glance up with irritation, expecting an answer. The porcelain looking teenager's eyes narrowed and his lips curled tight in annoyance.

"Because I don't want the owner of this," he motioned to the barely furnished room, "to be creeping around my mansion."

The girl looked slightly surprised by his comment and the boy with a ponytail took a deep breath. From beside Naruto Kankuro emerged from the bathroom, looking irritable.

"Hey. Sorry…I was looking for something." The boy named Sasuke glared and the other two merely blinked, not really making any efforts of greeting.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

Naruto glanced up at Gaara who was staring down at him from above and blushed, though he wasn't sure why. He stood up and scratched his neck.

"They're all so much older." Naruto said softly. None of the trio seemed to have recognized his presence and he wasn't sure if he was offended or grateful. He felt out of place, even as Kankuro struggled to get their meeting started.

"Alright, let's just get the layout decided. Our job is to do a survey, right?"

Kankuro's voice sounded defeated, and Naruto and Gaara watched as Sasuke took the seat next to the girl and both Kankuro and the other boy sat on the floor. Gaara rolled his eyes and grabbed the box of cookies from the counter, mumbling about stupid high schoolers.

From the living area, Kankuro's voice sounded again.

"Oh, I'm sorry. That's my brother Gaara, and the blonde over there is Naruto."

Gaara glared at his older sibling, hardly enjoying the attention he had just created. Naruto, however, smiled weakly. "Uh, hello."

There was a long pause and Sasuke spoke. "Sakura, you said you had some ideas for the survey. What are they?"

The girl rummaged through her oversized leather bag and withdrew a notebook. She thumbed through it and began to read off a list. Naruto stared up at Gaara who shrugged, his expression uncaring at the rude greeting.

"Well, you can always do normal surveys—you know, asking people if they've ever done anything illegal and all, but I was thinking we should really push it. After all, if we win the contest, we'll each receive a quarter scholarship."

The boy with the ponytail groaned. "How troublesome. I hate doing more work than I have to."

Sakura sighed. "Shikamaru, focus. Take one for the team for Christ's sake."

There was a pause and Kankuro spoke. "You know, I'd like to go above and beyond, too. What were your ideas?"

Sakura looked pleased with herself as she spoke. "Well, we should do something interactive!"

Sasuke snorted. "How one earth do you make a survey interactive?"

"Well, you know…we could try to disprove something…like, you know.—those detergent commercials where they spill something on your shirt and then wash it off for you?"

The room was quiet for a moment and Shikamaru snorted. "I have no intention of spilling anything on anyone."

Sakura looked at a loss for words, not quite full of ideas. Sasuke was frowning and Kankuro looked in deep thought.

"Naruto, come on. Let's go." Gaara had finished a glass of water and was motioning towards his room when Naruto decided to speak up.

"Why don't you do your own soda test?"

The group glanced to him trivially and Kankuro raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Naruto blushed at the attention, feeling on the spot and regretting his choice to come forward. He licked his lips and felt Gaara staring holes into him from behind.

"You know…like Pepsi verses Coca Cola. Only you could to it with something else…" He finished shyly.

The girl named Sakura's eyes grew wide and she slammed a fist into her palm.

"That's actually not a bad idea. Like orange juice…we could do like a brand name verses and organic…"

"We could label them differently and have people rate them. It would be meaningful, too—especially with all of the organic farming disputes happening." Kankuro said.

"Hn." Sasuke agreed, and from the side Shikamaru nodded indifferently. Naruto glanced back towards Gaara, feeling as though he had said too much, but not before a knock sounded on the door.

"Naruto!" The voice from outside was muffled and it caused the entire room to tense. Naruto's ears perked and he felt his lips part, recognizing his father's voice.

From behind him, Gaara grabbed his arm, not trusting the man to be sober so soon. Kankuro looked up from the floor to Gaara who held Naruto back protectively.

Turning to the study group, Kankuro apologized. "I'm sorry for this…one minute."

He stood up and drifted to the door, knowing full well what to expect. It happened more often than not when Minato returned from his 'business trips' and he only hoped that he could wheedle the older man away long enough to get his study group out. If they witnessed the father's actions towards them, there was always a chance someone would contact a higher authority, and that was one road he didn't want to take.

He twisted the knob and peered out, surprised to see Minato, tall, dazed and pale, glaring with hazy eyes into the small house. Naruto pushed forward but Gaara held him back.

"Naruto, wait…"

The trio in the living room followed the younger blonde's vision to the door, curious as to what was going on. From outside, the older man barked.

"G-give me…my son…." He rambled, and Kankuro narrowed his eyes.

"Go home, Minato. Naruto's fine. Sleep it off."

The older man's eyes slimmed, once piercing blue eyes now looking pale and gray. His lips turned upwards unconsciously and the older man found his son's gaze through the house.

"Naruto..."

The small blonde pushed forward, feeling guilty. His father was finally home and he was neglecting him for Gaara…drunk or not, didn't he owe his father his company?

Gaara knelt down and turned the younger boy towards him, making sure their eyes met. "Naruto, listen to me. He needs to cool off—you need to stay here until then. Do you understand?"

Naruto looked back at his father and stuttered. "I…"

"Is that his father?" The girl named Sakura asked, looking confused. Even Sasuke glanced somewhat eagerly towards the younger boy, a look of distress crossing his features.

From outside, Minato turned as if to walk away. Kankuro took a deep breath, but it was too soon. Minato rushed back towards the door, using the element of surprise to push into the dwelling. Sakura screamed and stood up while Shikamaru and Sasuke scrambled to their feet, and Gaara clenched Naruto close to him and to the side in a protective manner.

"Give me my son!" The man yelled, and his eyes brimmed with an unseeing daze. He jumped towards his child, clawing out like an animal.

"Always taking him—always stealing him from me—" Minato attempted to lunge, but Kankuro grabbed him from behind and yanked backwards, shoving the older man onto the ground.

"Daddy!" Naruto wiggled loose from Gaara's grip and towards the fallen man, tears brimming his wide eyes. As he approached his father Minato sat up, his eyes red from liquor and teary with a depressive sadness.

"Don't you love me Naruto? I asked you to wait for me…but you didn't…"

Tears bubbled in Naruto's eyes and he nodded.

"What can I do to make you wait for me…and stop running away with them?" He was referring to Gaara and Kankuro, and Naruto felt extremely guilty. The man's hand rose, as if to slap him, and a strong arm pulled Naruto back. Kankuro grabbed Minato who lost his temper once more.

"Naruto." Gaara pulled Naruto closer to him, hating the writhing father before them. Naruto held him tightly and Kankuro let out a low groan as he tried to subdue the older man.

"Shikamaru, do me a favor."

The charcoal haired boy raised an eyebrow, looking completely disturbed with the situation.

"If you do it—I'll do all of your part of the project." Kankuro pushed Minato down, his face red with exertion.

Shikamaru looked vaguely interested.

"Take Gaara and Naruto—and get them out of here for tonight. I know you're the one who drove everyone here today."

Naruto's head swung around. "But—"

"All of my part?" Shikamaru asked, his eyes cool and collected despite the current struggle his counterpart was involved in.

"Ye—yeah." Kankuro said as he finally deadlocked the older man.

"But my dad—" Naruto said and Gaara looked at a loss for words. What was Kankuro going to do?

"Fine by me." Shikamaru said and he stood up slowly, looking at a loss for words.

"Go. We need to have a talk." The oldest sibling glanced at the figure below him and motioned for Gaara to take Naruto and leave. Though Gaara felt an extreme bite in his pride, one look at the crazed older father made him tug Naruto forward.

"Right."

The redhead moved towards the door, pulling a struggling Naruto out behind him.

"But—But…"

Sakura and Shikamaru were hastily dodging towards a shiny black Lexus and Sasuke was standing by it, his expression unreadable. Naruto noted that his father's voice vanished with the closing of Gaara's house door, and he gave up on struggling as Gaara pushed him into the car, the duo sharing the backseat with a very nervous looking Sakura.

"So where are we going?" Gaara asked coldly, not used to being at the mercy of strangers.

"To Neji's, a friend of mine."

There was a pause and Gaara's eyes grew wide. If possible, his face even became paler.

He shook his head, his eyes returning to the blonde at his side.

_What a small world,_ he thought.

He never imagined he would see this particular ex-boyfriend ever again.

* * *

A/N-- I feel like this is one of those stories where the main story is built on other stories. Like, we need to learn about Kankuro's life to get to Sasuke. Then we need to learn about Gaara's love life to get to Naruto. Then we need to learn about Sasuke's family to get to his love life...and so on, so forth.

I hope it's still a good read though. I like to have a lot of things going on for some reason.

Okay, so you're officially caught up with me on this story, too. I'm going to do my best to update every sunday, so keep an eye out. And tomorrow I should have some fanart posted on my DA account, so please feel free to go and take a look!

wwwOcomikimOdeviantartOcom


	5. A Man and His Debt

**Dead Weight**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Thank you for all of your reviews. They are inspiration, as always.

* * *

**Chapter 4: A Man and His Debt**

"Are you sober now?" Kankuro's voice was harsh and airy from the exertion it had taken him to hold the older man down. His chest raised and fell with every intake of air and his forearms were beginning to cramp under the pressure. The brunette winced and waited for Minato to nod before releasing him and clambering away like an exhausted quarterback after a bad fall.

"Ugh, my head is killing me." Minato's voice sounded more collected than before, and Kankuro sat over his knees, willing the redness to disappear from his face. He grabbed a glass of water from the nearby coffee table and shoved it towards Naruto's father, glaring at the panting man with an obvious distaste.

"Drink it out of your system."

It was a command, and Minato took the water with a frown, drinking it quickly like a small child after a lecture. After he set the glass down he took a few deep breaths and pulled himself to his knees, his eyes narrow and more sober than before.

"Minato," Kankuro began, his voice harsh, "this can't continue."

The brunette was fighting back the violent urge to verbally assault his houseguest, but he bit his tongue to restrain himself. The father ran his hands over his face and let out a low groan, presumably after realizing all of the commotion he had caused. He looked confused and stifled and before Kankuro could control the words, a statement left his lips.

"You're on drugs, too."

He stood up and shook his head, looking for some way to distract himself—for something to do that didn't involve punching the older man. Minato's blonde hair fell in tangles around his pointed face and his normally bronzed skin was pale and harsh with gray undertones—signs of malnutrition and exhaustion. The older man didn't argue, but his head hung low as if he were embarrassed and ashamed.

As Kankuro began picking up items that had fallen to the floor in the brawl, Minato spoke, his voice sounding more normal than it had in a while.

"Kankuro, I'm sorry."

His voice was soft and sweet and Kankuro was sure that it was a genuine apology, even if the man still looked a little dazed. Even so, the brunette student had accepted the older man's apologies too many times in the past to repeat the action again. He sat on his couch and fisted his hands.

"He didn't have any food Minato. His teachers were asking about you. He's too young to do laundry at the facility on his own—"

"I know—" Minato cut in, but Kankuro continued.

"He's picked on in class, his grades are constantly slipping—for Christ's sake, Minato, he needs a constant in his life. One that isn't disappearing for weeks. One that isn't bringing home drugs and alcohol. One that isn't—"

"—me?" Minato finished, and his disposition darkened. His eyes became a striking shade of pool-water blue and his lips quirked in a way that made Kankuro tighten his angry fists.

"Look at you, old man." Minato wasn't old at all, but as far as Kankuro could judge, he didn't act young either. He was ill-tempered because of the alcohol and hasty because of the slew of drugs he toted home every time he returned. If Minato had been a good father at some point that time had long faded. Now he was only the porcelain shell of a role model, ripping at the seams of harsh reality.

"Look at you. You're falling apart. If you want to fuck yourself over, fine—by all means, do it. But Naruto—he's a good kid. Despite the fact he came from you."

Kankuro hadn't meant to say the last part, but the words had come like running water from a loose tap. He watched as the pale man straightened and bared his teeth in anger.

"I have worked my ass off to support him. If it weren't for my effort, I'd be in jail and he'd be living foster home to foster home. Children need some form of stability—"

"You call_ this_ stability?" Kankuro raised an eyebrow before continuing.

"Tell me what's really going on Minato, because I know there's got to be something else." Kankuro could sense that the older man was being secretive and he had wondered for a while if something had gone wrong with Minato's cartel.

"You were gone longer than usual—you didn't bring home any money, oh, and let's not forget that this time you've even decided to step your game up by adding drugs to the mix. You're only supposed to sell them, you prick. Not do them yourself."

Minato glared momentarily before retracting his own eye contact and picking at a loose piece of carpet. Kankuro knew immediately that he had guessed correctly, and he leaned forward, using his body language to force the older man into a verbal submission.

"I'm…I'm in trouble, Kankuro."

Kankuro's eyes widened, though he wasn't sure why he was so surprised. He had known that Minato was in trouble for a long time but to have the older man admit it so freely was an awkward move forward. He sat quietly though, waiting for the blonde to continue.

"I advanced a guy—he was a regular, but he skipped town. I have a week to get the money to Zabusa…"

Kankuro raised an eyebrow and quirked his lips. "How can a _regular_ just up and skip town?"

Minato shrugged, his figure slumping down further as his confident demeanor seemed to diminish. His eyes began to grow puffy and Kankuro felt his heartbeat speed up a little. Grown men didn't cry—especially not ones who dealt drugs. If Minato was going to waste tears on the incident, it was obviously very serious.

"How much?"

There was a pause before Minato ran his palms over his eyes and through his hair.

"Fifteen grand."

Kankuro blanched and slid off the couch, anxiously jerking at the older man's sleeve in anger. His eyes were wide and livid and he felt his mouth go painstakingly dry.

"Are you lying?" He said quickly, hoping that the older man was. Minato shook his head however and refused to make eye contact as tears fell idly from his paling features. He choked out a hoarse sob and pulled his knees to his chest like a child.

"Fuck." Kankuro said, and he slammed his fist into the carpet below them.

"Fuck, fuck, _fuck._ Well, this guy's got to be able to be traced—come on, Minato. Where would he go?"

The blonde glanced up, his eyes red and numb. After a quick moment he shook his head.

"Why do you think I was late getting back? I've looked everywhere for the bastard. He's gone…long gone."

Kankuro narrowed his eyes, not willing to accept Minato's answer. He grabbed the older man's shoulders and shook him hard, eyeing him with a wild intensity.

"Look, Minato. Think. He has to be _somewhere_."

Minato shook his head and waved his hands emphatically in the air. He sat back slightly and let out a ridiculous laugh, one mixed with edging sobriety and sarcasm.

"I don't know what you want me to tell you, Kankuro. I've got no idea where the fuck the guy is and I've got a week to either find fifteen grand or get Naruto the fuck out of this country."

Kankuro leaned forward, the expression in his eyes becoming even more dangerous. His grip on Minato held firm and he cursed.

"They know you have a son?" He said quickly, rasping the words as if the situation had just become ten-times worse. Minato's eyes only grew more passive before he licked his chapped lips and spoke.

"They know everything about everyone, Kankuro."

Kankuro fell back onto the floor, releasing his hold on Minato and letting the gravity of the situation settle on him. He felt his breathing hasten and his muscles tense as he absorbed the information, frowning as he closed his eyes.

"You've got to get out of town." He said, and his eyes flicked open as he continued, making sure that he and Minato were watching each other intently.

"And you've got to start over. Give Naruto a good life—get a good job, change your name, figure it out. You have to do better, Minato."

The blonde man shook his head and ran his fingers over it haphazardly, biting his lips as he did so.

"I know, Kankuro."

The duo sat in silence for a long while until Temari arrived home.

* * *

Naruto's disposition hadn't lightened at all as Shikamaru's car pulled into a fancy driveway surrounded by cleverly shaped hedges and plotted rock beds. Gaara's hold on him was tight and he could tell that the older boy was concerned for him, and possibly even nervous about their current situation. Naruto tried not to dwell on that aspect, because in his mind Gaara was the bravest person he knew.

As the car pulled to a smooth stop the passengers began to exit, and Gaara tugged on Naruto's arm.

"Hey, come on. We're here." The redhead's voice was brotherly and Naruto warmed up to it, even though he was still upset about the earlier encounter with his father. He knew that he no longer had a choice in the matter, and while it made him angry, his fear of being around people he didn't know made him cling to Gaara like a child to their favorite blanket.

After they exited the car the girl named Sakura glanced over the group with a genuine expression of confusion before rubbing a dollop of lip gloss over her pouting lips.

"Well, I'm just down the street so…" She glanced backwards as if indicating the direction she was going to travel. After a moment, she turned to Gaara and his smaller blonde counterpart.

"I'm a…It was nice meeting you." She turned quickly to her other classmates and waved before disappearing down a dark sidewalk at the end of the driveway.

Shikamaru finished locking all of the car doors and peeked towards Sasuke who was marching indignantly towards the front steps of Neji's house.

"Aren't you going to head home?" He questioned, and Sasuke glared.

"I need to call my brother. He has my car today." Sasuke didn't look too happy about that fact, and Naruto watched as the pale teenager stood lean under the porch light of the residence. His features were illuminated in a bright yellow and he looked almost angelic, which was ironic to Naruto considering his attitude was mostly cruel.

Gaara pulled Naruto forward after Shikamaru gave a weary look, and within moments they were ringing the door bell of the household and waiting for a reply. It didn't take long for the large mahogany door to creak open, a tall and stoic boy peering out into the darkness with a quizzical expression.

"What's this all about?" He said lightly and his eyes drifted over the small party with curiosity. They stopped, however, when they found Gaara's cool expression and after a few terse moments, they narrowed.

"Why are you here?" The boy asked, and Naruto could feel Gaara's grip on his arm tighten. There was a short pause while Sasuke glanced back between the two, obviously surprised that they knew each other. The expression didn't last long though, and before Gaara had a chance to speak, Sasuke was making a remark of his own.

"Oh, brilliant. You _know_ them." He pushed past the boy without a second look and drifted into the household, obviously familiar with the inside. Shikamaru drifted in uneasily which left a very awkward moment for Gaara to handle.

"It's not what you think, Neji." Gaara said firmly, and Naruto felt even more out of place then he had earlier. Gaara was glaring up at the older boy with a solid look of affirmation before he moved aside to allow both the redhead and Naruto into his household.

After they drifted in and Neji had set the lock, Gaara let out a deep breath. He usually wasn't very talkative, which made Naruto wonder why he made a comment so socially.

"Your parents still gone all the time?" The question was completely subliminal and Neji nodded, his expression still vaguely disgruntled. He glanced down at Naruto and the blonde tensed, not sure what to make of the situation.

"I see you're still trying to play father." His expression was noncommittal and Naruto felt Gaara stiffen against him. He felt the need to say something in defense of his friend, even if he wasn't sure what the conversation was about.

"Gaara is not my father." He let his eyes narrow and was satisfied to see the older boy look surprised at his integrity. From beside him, Gaara shook his head.

"I'm sorry you still feel that way, Neji. We won't bother you for long."

Naruto was surprised to hear Gaara sound so polite and felt a little jealous. After a minute, Gaara turned around to him and ran a hand through his hair.

"I think you should take a nap, okay? You're going to school tomorrow."

Naruto felt his nose scrunch up in distaste and he looked angry.

"But I don't know this place…and I want to see my dad."

Gaara's expression firmed and he shook his head. "You'll see him tomorrow. Now would be a good time for you to get some rest."

"He can use the guest room." Neji said lightly, and before explaining himself directed them towards a flight of stairs, motioning for them to follow him in the ascension. They did, and Naruto felt slightly angered. Not only had he been cruelly removed from his father, his closest friend was now making demands of him. He crossed his arms and halted at the top of the stairs, no longer afraid that he was around a person he didn't know.

"I'm not going." He said defiantly, and Gaara turned around to him with a look of disapproval. Neji even paused and gave Naruto an irritated glance.

"Naruto, I'm not asking you, I'm telling you."

"You're not my father, Gaara." Naruto said it quickly, annoyed at how demanding Gaara was being. He wondered if it was because of this Neji character and immediately decided that he didn't like him.

"Naruto, please." Gaara tuned around to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, all while making eye contact with him. Bright green eyes assaulted baby blues, and Naruto felt at odds with the older boy.

"But…It's not fair. You took me away from him and now you're going to leave me too."

Naruto almost felt like crying but he held back the tears and waited for Gaara to respond.

"I will never leave you, Naruto. I promise. But right now, you really need to go to sleep."

Naruto searched Gaara's eyes momentarily before mentally submitting, all of the activity of the day finally catching up with him. He felt lull and drowsy, and after he paced into the guest room and crawled into the bed he was out like a light.

Gaara was pleased that the argument didn't continue further, and when he and Neji exited the room, he spoke somewhat anxiously.

"I'm sorry for all of this." He said.

Neji raised an eyebrow. "He's the kid you left me for?"

The comment seemed obtuse and it caught Gaara off guard. The redhead shook his head and glared upwards, catching Neji's cerulean eyes with a look of intent.

"It wasn't like that." He stated, and he knelt back against a pale paneled wall. After Neji raised an eyebrow, Gaara continued.

"Neji, you wouldn't listen to me. This kid—his father's a mess. He needed someone to trust. He needs me even now."

Neji rolled his eyes. "It's not your job to be his father. It wasn't then and it isn't now."

Gaara frowned. "I don't expect you to understand. Someone who's lived with _this_ their entire life couldn't understand." He emphasized his point by motioning around the upper level of the house, his fingers pointing loosely to expensive paintings and couture furniture. After he finished he glanced back at Neji, his expression more angry than before.

"And just to set the record straight, _you_ dumped _me_."

Gaara turned away quickly from the older boy, anxious to find a phone and call his brother. He jogged down the stairs, following the sounds he was sure would lead him to both Sasuke and Shikamaru. After a quick dodge through the kitchen he found them and mentally thanked God when he spotted the phone on the kitchen counter.

He started dialing as he heard Neji enter from behind him, but instead of saying anything the long haired brunette simply approached Sasuke and asked a question.

"When is your brother coming?"

The raven haired boy shrugged, his expression thick with distaste.

"Who knows. I hate that bastard."

From behind them, Shikamaru spoke.

"Well, I know I'm responsible for all this but to be honest, if everything is handled, I would love to be on my way."

Sasuke snorted and Neji nodded, not quite understanding how Shikamaru was accountable for the midnight visit. The pony tailed boy nodded gratefully and let himself out, thanking Neji for the last minute hospitality.

"Hey, how's it going?" Gaara's voice made the other two grow quiet, but the redhead ignored their interest. He held the phone tight to his ear and was attempting to not feel intimidated by the older kids' attention as Kankuro spoke on the other line. Sasuke glanced over to Neji and frowned.

"Should I even hazard a guess on how you know him?"

Neji rolled his eyes and staightened the button-up he was wearing with deft fingers. "You shouldn't be so harsh. From what I hear, the kid upstairs is a lot like you were at that age."

Sasuke raised and eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak, but not before Gaara's seemed to rise.

"What? Why?" Gaara's voice was low and calm. "Talk about it later." He stated, and his voice sounded skeptical.

Neji and Sasuke exchanged inquisitive glances and the raven shrugged in dismissal. Gaara leaned back and finished his phone call, placing teh hpone gently on teh kitchen counter. He glanced up at the two high school students and glared impatiently.

"Temari will be here in a half hour." He didn't feel the need to explain himself, seeing as Neji already knew who Temari was. Sasuke, however, looked a little less satisfied by the quick comment.

"Is she a relative or something?" He asked, and even though his voice was cold his expression looked vaguely interested.

"Sister." Neji answered and Gaara frowned at the older boy. After a brief period of silence, Gaara spoke again.

"Did you know that Hinata and Naruto go to the same school?"

This seemed to catch Neji off guard and his pale cerulean eyes grew somewhat foggy. He took a seat next to Sasuke at the kitchen island and Gaara pulled himself onto one of the countertops, not really caring if it was polite or not. In his opinion Neji owed him a great deal of things and he wasn't about to second-guess any of his actions after finally seeing him again.

"I didn't know uncle sent her there." Neji's voice sounded uncharacteristically attentive and Sasuke licked his lips and took a deep breath.

"Did you two date or something?" He glared back and forth between them, his expression devoid of any recognizable emotion. Neji glanced towards him and nodded.

"Yes."

Gaara was surprised when Sasuke didn't look fazed. He had at least expected the raven haired boy to look irritated or homophobic simply because he didn't seem like the voyeuristic type. The absence of expression lasted only a minute however, when Sasuke rolled his eyes and grabbed the phone from the counter.

"It figures. You always had the worst taste in boys."

Neji looked annoyed at this remark and Gaara felt like assaulting the older boy. Sasuke had been nothing but insulting the entire time they had been together and he wasn't used to letting people trample on his pride so easily.

"You're trying my patience." Gaara said smoothly and he made sure that Sasuke glanced up to him. Sasuke's expression narrowed further and he smirked.

"What are you going to do, punch me?" His features were condescending and Gaara almost slid off the counter towards him. Neji, however, stood up and placed his hands between the two.

"Come on. Calm down, you two. There's really no need for this hostility."

Sasuke snorted and continued fiddling with the phone and Gaara bit his lip before sliding off the counter and drifting towards the main entrance hall.

"Where are you going?" Neji asked, and Gaara turned up the stairs, deciding that his time was better spent with Naruto then the two high school students. He had never gotten along with any of Neji's friends and this new one—this Sasuke—was the worst he had encountered yet.

"Being around your friends was always a waste of time." He said quietly, hoping that the pale-eyed boy hadn't heard. He jogged up the stairs and turned the corner into Naruto's temporary room, pleased to see that the boy was still asleep.

He sat on the edge of the bed and ran a hand through Naruto's hair, wondering how much longer he would be able to protect Naruto from his father's mistakes.

"I don't want you to turn out like me." He said quietly, and from behind him, someone silently crept in.

"Neji…I'm not in the mood." Gaara sighed. Neji was a talker—he always had been and he always would be. And as Gaara recalled, they never really had an opportunity to talk with each other when they broke up, so he figured Neji was making up for lost time.

"Gaara, I'm sorry for what Sasuke said. And for what I said, too. It's just been so long since I've seen you…I was surprised."

Gaara turned his head back to view the silhouetted figure before shaking his head.

"You of all people should know I'm not that easily hurt."

He turned his attention back to Naruto, hoping their whispers wouldn't wake him.

After a moment of silence he spoke.

"You once told me that you wished you could change Hinata's fate. No matter what, I'm going to make sure that Naruto doesn't end up like his father."

There was a pause and the sound of a hand rapping on a door sounded from downstairs. Gaara didn't turn to meet Neji's expression, but heard him walk away.

* * *

A/N-- So I know that was a really weird place to end but to be honest, this was all I had time to chuck out this week. The next chapter should begin the SasuNaruSasu-ness, but it won't REALLY kick in until after the time skip. If I had to estimate chapters I would say...well, this beginning part will probably have 8 or 9 chapters and then the time skip will happen.

BUT! On a wonderful new news announcement, I have officially discovered the real plot to this little guy. Not that I didn't have one before but now it is more refined and open for really good action and romance. Angsty, of course, but romance nonetheless.

**Author in Need**

Well, I need a beta. Not just for this story, but for all of my stories. If you are interested, these are my qualification guidelines. ::laughs::

1) If at all possible, will beta for DW, BoB, AIYH, and the Miz Biz sequel. Kill a flock of birds with one stone, or so they say...

2) Please know your stuff. I'm asking 'cause I don't. I really would appreciate someone who can help me improve, not just someone who wants to read the chapters ahead of time or whatnot.

3) Someone who is available to beta for me by every Saturday night so I can have everything ready to post on Sundays.

4) Don't be afraid to be critical! I love critical. And inpsiring. Inspiration is very good.

Um, so yeah. I know it's kind of demanding but if anyone is up for the challenge please drop me a line.

Thank you and luv luv.


	6. Learning to Fade

**Dead Weight**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Ha, yeah...sorry for the delay. Thank you for all of the reviews though!

Also:

Thank you to everyone who volunteered to beta! I was extremely flattered and I am still grateful so many of you offered.

_LoVe_

* * *

**Chapter 6: Learning to Fade**

Naruto had always been a light sleeper and for some odd reason, he prided himself on that fact. Important conversations were always held when he was curled up in his bed, a fact he had learned by accident during one of his first stays with the Sabaku family. It seemed to him that all of the important decisions were made when children were tucked away, oblivious to the changing world around them.

And he _had_ been oblivious, at least until that night.

Naruto had been curious and had overheard a conversation never meant for him to hear. A conversation not only about him, but about his father. And more importantly, why his father was always gone.

_Drugs._

Naruto hadn't understood it entirely because he had been surrounded by drugs his entire life. More than one of his babysitters had brought along some form of substance and he had never questioned it, believing it was normal. The caregivers never hurt him, never offered him any, and were rarely angry or aggressive. In Naruto's eyes, they had been normal.

But the way Gaara and Kankuro had talked about it… it made Naruto feel betrayed. It made him feel like he was losing his father to another person. Only it wasn't a person—it was a job. Minato came home less often and Naruto wondered silently if he had been forgotten, or even worse, replaced.

The thoughts had weighed on him heavily until one day. A day he would never forget and a sighting he would always remember. The day he saw the fox.

It happened by accident, as most of his discoveries seemed to, when he had managed to gain control of the Sabaku's television remote. He had flipped through all of the channels, skipping over the ones with bad reception or foreign languages until something caught his eye.

Red fur. Blinding red fur blanketing a sleek and muscular body and eyes—eyes like Naruto had never seen before. They were black and hollow, so deep that Naruto believed if he didn't blink he would fall into them completely.

'…_unusual to say the least…'_ the broadcast was barely heard as Naruto recognized the small creature in astonishment.

'…_a genetic abnormality may have resulted in the growth of nine tails…'_

Naruto had slid off the couch and planted himself in front of the television, his eyes wide and his mouth open in amazement. He traced the outline of the animal with his finger, his heart beginning to race with giddy excitement.

'_Many have named this fox as a symbol of luck even though in Japanese myth they are hardly far from tricksters…'_

Naruto's head shot forward at that statement, his ears only picking up the first portion. It was just as his father said, and he settled onto the floor, his heart pounding impatiently against his ribcage.

The story on the news channel changed and he shut off the television, thinking hard to himself. Not only was it a sign to stay faithful to his father, but it made him rethink his father's story. The fox had disappeared… and now, he had rediscovered it. And as childish as it sounded, he had looked into the eyes of that animal and felt something… familiar.

It was no longer a matter of the fox disappearing or Naruto encountering the creature. Because as Naruto stood up to answer the door, a surge of adrenaline pulsed through him like a flame from the bottom of his heart. And he knew, at that point in time, that he had been his father's good luck charm all along. The fox hadn't disappeared.

He had become a part of Naruto.

* * *

Naruto sat up inside the foreign room, the memory playing through his head like a hazy dream. Even though he was used to hearing Gaara and Kankuro speak badly about his father, he could never bite back the initial sting of their words. They didn't understand that his father needed him. Not because they were connected by blood or because they shared the father-son label, but because Minato _needed_ something in his life to live for. 

And even though Naruto was only eleven years old, he saw that.

The blond rubbed his eyes and drifted to the doorway of the room he had been placed, his ears picking up a heavy conversation from downstairs. He had waited a few moments after Gaara had left the room to move, nervous to be discovered in his awakened state, and he was fairly sure whoever had arrived had little to do with him or the redhead. If it had been Kankuro or Temari they would have been on the road already, and so Naruto's penchant for curiosity sifted forth again and he crept to the edge of the upper stairway banister.

"Stop acting like a girl. Fugaku will pay for it."

Naruto poked his head between the bars of the railing, hoping to get a peak of the baritone voice as it spoke. It wasn't familiar to him but as he caught a smooth cascade of black hair he debated on if it was Sasuke.

"Father shouldn't have to pay for it."

Naruto turned his head, deciding that this new voice was definitely the raven-haired high school student. He narrowed his eyes and sat down, an anger arising from downstairs that he didn't want to intercept.

"Sasuke, get your things. Arguing with you is a waste of time."

There was a huff of impatience and Naruto heard someone pad up the stairway before he could scramble away. He instead sat impassively as the figure stormed to his level, turning to glare at him in the process.

"What are you looking at?" Sasuke bit out and he turned into a spare room next to the one Naruto had been staying in. Naruto jumped up to follow, more out of youthful eagerness than anything else.

"Who is he?" Naruto asked, and Sasuke appeared to be collecting some school work from a pile on the floor. The raven shot Naruto a dirty glare.

"Who are you to ask?"

Naruto stepped backwards, caught off guard by the well-placed comment. He let his own eyes fall into a narrowed position, becoming slightly annoyed with Sasuke treating him like a plague. He clenched his fists and turned his head away.

"That's all it took for you to be quiet?" Sasuke asked and he pulled a backpack onto his shoulders.

Naruto put a hand on his hip and quipped, "Well, _he _said arguing with you is a waste of time. I'm just taking his advice."

Naruto thought that Sasuke would attack him for sure with the look that passed through his obsidian eyes. But instead, he received a response he didn't expect.

"If you're smart enough to come up with retorts like that, you should use it for something beneficial. Like finding a _real_ family."

Naruto felt his chest bubble with anger and he stepped forward, his tone growing dangerously low for an eleven year old child.

"What, like you and _him_?" Naruto wasn't sure why he said it because he didn't even know who the other man downstairs was. But to his eyes they looked very similar and he supposed a part of him knew automatically that they were related. His comment drew a strange gaze from Sasuke and he continued.

"You rich people try to act all high and mighty; it's stupid. Someday you'll be in the same position as me. After that I'll listen to your insults."

Sasuke frowned and glanced downward, his expression showing a sort of awe for the younger boy. And Naruto knew why—he wasn't like other eleven years olds. He knew what to say at the right time. He often said things he shouldn't.

"Right," Sasuke managed, and he sifted out of the room, giving Naruto one more irritated glance before dodging downstairs.

Naruto didn't bother to follow, choosing instead to contemplate why he had gotten so angry so quickly. It had been happening more frequently lately—the sudden urge of impulse and anger. He was struggling to control this new side of him; this part of him that was eager and rebellious.

He heard the door close from downstairs and he turned in his spot, surprised to hear no one coming up the stairway. He was positive that Sasuke would have told Gaara something like, 'Go control your kid,' or something similar, but as silence swelled from the front door lobby, it was obvious that the raven hadn't.

Did Sasuke respect him?

Being as young as he was, Naruto was used to people constantly trying to keep him in line. Whether at school or at the motel he called home, people were always attempting to dictate his life and his future—as if they had made plans without him.

But there he had been, with an older boy no less—snapping back in a way that normally would have ended with some sort of lecture or consequence. Not only had Sasuke not lectured him, but he also hadn't told Gaara—which was more than anyone had ever done for Naruto. He decided that even if it had been done out of confusion or pity, he admired it. In an awkward sort of way, someone had accepted a fault of his without repercussions.

As Naruto exited the small guest room he turned towards the stairwell and peered down, wondering whether he should go downstairs or attempt to go to sleep. He wasn't tired, but he wondered if Gaara wanted him to be around. His eyes narrowed as he remembered when they had first arrived, and how Gaara had so easily demanded he stay upstairs. He and Neji knew each other, and even though Naruto was young, he could feel jealousy boil in his blood.

Naruto sifted to the top of the stairs and sat down, leaning back against the railing for support. He put his hands in his pockets and peered down the long flight of carpeted footing and narrowed his eyes, entering a thinking mood.

"When I met Gaara, it was by accident," he told himself quietly, and he played with a fraying piece of thread in his pocket. The memory came like a home video, shaky and unclear in his head. It had been less than a week after his father had moved them into the hotel and he had desperately kicked Naruto out, telling him to go find a place to hide until one of his _clients_ left. He had been confused, no doubt, but he trusted his father with the world.

He had slipped down the hallway, careful to play in the building's sinister shadows, hiding from the massive figure that seemed to stampede into he and his father's gentle dwelling. He crouched down in the back corner of the second floor landing, the lazy summer night heat creating beads of sweat on his forehead that he couldn't seem to wipe away.

He had been quiet—like a mouse, breathing slowly in hopes of not being heard. He and his father had played games like this before, games where hide-and-go-seek involved more people than just the two of them, and he prayed that the moon would hover still long enough to keep him hidden in the dark corner he was crouched in.

"What are you doing?"

The voice had been annoyed but when Naruto snapped his head back to view the speaker, he had looked slightly amused. Dark hair over pale skin—Naruto was sure that this new boy could never hide in the dark with skin so white and glossy. Blue eyes met emerald green, and Naruto hissed in annoyance.

"I'm playing a game. Be quiet."

The stranger raised an eyebrow and peered around, as if searching for more people participating in the mysterious activity. His lips curled in confusion, and the pale boy's face fell into something that resembled irritation.

"You're in front of my door," he said, and his eyes told Naruto that he wasn't interested in his childlike game. Naruto blinked suddenly and turned his head to the side, noting that he was placed directly in front of sidelong doorway. He blushed slightly at his mistake and shuffled to the side, making sure to stay quiet and hidden.

The stranger walked up and peered down the hallway, trying to find what Naruto was looking at.

"Who are you hiding from?" he asked, and Naruto stayed quiet. His father had always told him their games were a secret.

There was a brief pause and the stranger shook his head, most likely irritated with the awkward situation. But as his hand brushed against the handle of his motel door, a loud crash erupted from the door Naruto was staring at. The door opened quickly after, the monstrosity of a man exiting with a bruised and bleeding older man dangling from one of his arms, and Naruto buried his eyes into his palms, remembering more of his father's words.

'_If you see something scary, close your eyes…_'

Arms wrapped around him suddenly from behind and he felt himself being pulled in through the door he had been blocking. His eyes widened in fear and surprise and he bit back a yelp as he saw the door close in front of him, now enveloped by the stuffy atmosphere of the new home.

"What… why'd you grab me!?" Naruto demanded, turning to view the other boy. Naruto gaped for a moment, surprised at how young the other person seemed to be—only a few years older than himself, at most. He looked aggravated and concerned, and his eyes sank low into a dark gaze.

"What's your name?" the boy asked, and Naruto huffed.

"Why should I tell you?"

There was a pause and the pale boy drifted to the window and peered out carefully. When he drew back the curtain, he frowned.

"Because from now on, when your father asks you to hide, you're coming here."

Those words had always echoed in Naruto's head, even now as he sat atop the stairwell they seemed to reverberate deep within him. Before Gaara had even known who he was he had accepted him and agreed to help him. And though Naruto had thought of those situations as games, there was a part of him that felt protected by Gaara.

Naruto stood up and walked down the stairs, no longer content with waiting for the redhead to come and visit him. He admired the amount of furniture and the clean smell of the house—and even the shiny white tiles that glittered beneath his scuffed tennis shoes. He felt like he was in another world—and the fact that Gaara had once been a part of it made his stomach feel queasy and nervous.

He rounded a corner to what appeared to be a kitchen and heard a sound from the other end. He paced forward, hoping it was Gaara. He wanted to be with someone and he was worried for his father… his heart was beating too quickly for comfort.

He came closer to the noise and paused as he took in the sight, one he had never expected and one he didn't fully understand.

Gaara and Neji… _kissing._

Naruto's face curled up in confusion, his young mind not yet accustomed to intimate gestures. Of course he knew what kissing was, but in the first place, he didn't want to _ever_ kiss anyone, and two, Gaara was kissing a _boy_.

Was it even possible?

Naruto was drawn to the display like a bug to a dimly lit lantern, wanting to turn away but at the same time, unable to. It was as if he was watching something momentous—something beautiful even—something he suddenly felt he could never be apart of.

Naruto turned around and retraced his steps to the stairway, clutching his shirt in his fist. He felt the anger returning, the bubbling sensations of frustration filling his young mind again.

His mother had left him in the first year of his life: God had taken her away. His father had left him the seventh year of his life: drugs had taken him away. And now, in the eleventh year of his life, Gaara had faded from him, taken away by love.

Naruto crumbled to the ground, the gravity of his life suddenly tearing at his mentality.

"Why..." he mumbled softly and rocked himself gently, trying to force the painful throng of emotions from his mind.

_Why does everyone leave me?_

_

* * *

_

**A/N-- **This poor kid. He's falling apart.

I don't think I'll be able to update DW weekly but I don't intend on having a three week wait again. Thanks again for all of the wonderful reviews and all of the volunteers...you really made my month.

Thank you to Allys as well, for taking on my heavy load of writing! You're an angel.


	7. A False Maturity

**Dead Weight**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating: **M

**Comments:** Sorry for the delay! Thank you for all of your reviews!

I've got a new updating schedule. You can always check on my author page to see where I'm at with my stories...I'm pretty loyal with updating my status. XD

Love always to my wonderful beta...**Allys!** I luffs you.

* * *

**Chapter 7: A False Maturity**

Gaara had called Naruto when Temari arrived, to which the blond came downstairs with a smile on his face. He didn't want anyone to see the disappointment he felt, or recognize the uncomfortable feeling that had begun to creep up his spine.

He had hidden upstairs for a long hour, waiting silently for something inside the household to change. It had been quiet with only the ticking of a small clock to keep his hearing company, and all the while the image of Gaara and Neji ran laps through his mind. He had pushed the feelings away, hidden them somewhere inside of himself, hoping that it was what any strong child would do. He had to be strong for not only himself, but for his father, too.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to get here," Temari bustled in and knelt down at the bottom of the staircase, bringing herself eye-level with Naruto. She swept a few strands away from his forehead in a motherly gesture and frowned, obviously concerned.

"Are you alright?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes, feeling slightly annoyed. He was beginning to hate when people asked him that, simply because he never knew how to answer it. He smiled, however, and nodded.

"Yeah. Can I see my dad now?" He hadn't intended on pushing the subject so quickly, but he was anxious to get back to the motel. His father was the only person who seemed to view him as capable, never worrying over him or treating him like a kid. Temari bit her lip, smiled, and ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, sugar." She stood up and glanced over to Gaara, her eyes running back and forth between her younger sibling and Neji. Naruto watched them closely himself, and as soon as Gaara caught his wandering eyes the redhead stepped over to him and put a protective arm on his shoulder.

"We should get out of here," he said with a sort of resolution, and Naruto watched Neji pocket his hands. The blond haired child glared up at the pretty brunet boy, his eyes fixed on the hazy translucent stare Neji was offering Gaara. When Neji happened to glance down at him he seemed surprised, and Naruto wondered just how irritated he looked. He quickly took hold of Gaara's hand and started towards the door, eager to leave.

"Thank you," Temari said, and Naruto could hear an embarrassment in her tone. Gaara repeated her words of gratitude as Naruto pulled him out of the house, and from the corner of him eye, he saw Neji nod somewhat vacantly. He didn't care if he was being rude, and as he spotted Temari's tinted Geo Metro parked on the street he hastily hustled towards the passenger side door.

"Naruto," Gaara said and it sounded suspiciously like a warning. The blond didn't turn to meet his gaze, only stared at the handle of the door, wondering how long he could keep the awkward smile planted on his face.

He didn't want Gaara to ask what was wrong because he didn't want to explain himself. He didn't want them to worry about him because he was old enough to do his worrying alone. He didn't want to hear about how it would have been too dangerous for him to stay with his father earlier, because he could handle it by himself.

He didn't turn to face Gaara but he felt the older boy's grip on his hand strengthen, and before he had the opportunity to say anything, Temari opened the door in front of him and he crawled into the backseat. He buckled himself in and turned to stare out of the window, avoiding the curious looks he was receiving from the front.

As soon as Temari had started the car, Gaara twisted around to him, his eyes narrow and concerned.

"What's the matter?" he asked, though his voice sounded a little more irritated than concerned. Naruto took a deep breath and turned to him, pulling his friendly smile into play.

"I'm just tired… and hungry." The two things that worked perfectly as an excuse. Gaara didn't look completely satisfied with his answers, but he nodded and turned back to face forward in his seat.

"Don't worry. We'll be home soon."

And Naruto frowned. There was that word again: worry. He wasn't worried, just impatient. He brought his attention to a blinking digital clock on the dashboard and let out a low sigh, wondering if his father would make him go to school. It was already three in the morning, and his head was beginning to hurt. He hadn't slept much and he felt drained from the events of the day.

The lazy hum of the car on newly paved asphalt made him want to sleep against the window, but every time he closed his eyes, something would jar him awake. He imagined himself drifting into a long and peaceful rest, only to wake up and find that Temari and Gaara had taken him far away, all because they were worried about him. It made him sit up and watch the road closely, feeling anxious in the pit of his stomach.

It was less than a half hour before they reached the familiar parking lot, and as soon as Gaara had exited and popped the seat-slider, Naruto scrambled out. He started to walk toward the familiar gated stairwell, but Gaara grabbed his wrist and knelt down.

"I know you're upset with me," he said, but Naruto could tell that Gaara really wasn't sure what about. And in all honesty, Naruto wasn't sure either. He was tired and irritated, and wanted to see his father.

"I'm tired," he replied, and Gaara nodded, "I know."

Naruto glanced down at where Gaara's hand held his and the older boy let go, making Naruto glance up to him slowly before turning to walk away. He really didn't know what else to say. He jogged up the stairs to his and his father's apartment, and without glancing back, stepped inside.

From the corner of his eye he could see Temari and Gaara watching him together and he could feel their thoughts pummeling at him from meters away. He had given up on telling them not to worry, because it was like talking to a wall. They could worry if they wanted but he knew he was safe, protected in the house of the one person who loved him best, and the one person he would always love the most.

* * *

"Naruto." 

Naruto groaned and twisted onto his side, pulling a warm clump of blankets closer to him. He heard his name in the distance, but his eyes felt so tired… He ignored the sound.

"Naruto, wake up."

Naruto let out a groan as he felt a warm hand run through his hair and he blinked his eyes open. It was dark but Naruto was positive it was day, and he wondered why the blinds were still closed.

"Hmm. You must have had an exciting day yesterday, to have slept this much."

Naruto turned to the side, his eyes wide, finally processing the situation. His father was leaning over him, smiling lightly, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. Naruto yawned and shook his head.

"No. I just can't sleep if it's not here," he replied shortly, and he sat up, suddenly recognizing that he was at home—and that his father was there with him. It seemed like an eternity had passed since the last time, and it made Naruto feel anxious and giddy, and overwhelmed.

Minato leaned forward and pulled Naruto into his arms in a sort of desperate hug. Naruto could feel his father breathing relief around him, and it made all of his insecurities vanish. He hugged his father and let out a clumsy breath, burying his head in the crook of the older man's shoulder.

"I missed you so much," Minato said, and Naruto nodded.

"I missed you too."

Minato almost spoke over Naruto, his voice low and worried. "I promise Naruto, I'll never leave you alone again…" Naruto nodded, in complete belief. He felt a wetness gather in his eyes and he wondered why—he wasn't sad, after all. He was happy, and full of relief. No matter what anyone else said his father always came back to him, and always promised him the world.

After a few moments Minato pulled them apart, and ran a hand through Naruto's hair, ruffling it. "You need a haircut," He said and let out a low chuckle. Naruto grinned and ran his fingers down a strand, examining it above his head. He frowned and let out a sigh.

"You should cut it so I don't look like a girl," he said, and Minato let out a laugh before getting up and walking over toward the door to pick up his duffle bag. He rummaged through it and pulled out a smaller bag, along with a couple of boxes.

"I want to go to the store today to get some food, but I brought these home for you," He tossed the box to Naruto, who caught it in his hands. The younger boy twisted the box around and smiled, feeling excited.

"Pop tarts?" He fumbled out of the bedding and jogged over to the kitchen, anxiously pulling out a package and plugging in a pale white toaster on the counter. He glanced over to Minato who had opened the smaller bag and was fiddling with a pair of scissors.

"I didn't hear you come in last night," Minato said quietly, and Naruto bounced at the counter, hovering over the appliance while licking his lips. He loved pop-tarts, especially the chocolate kind. He was still hungry from the night before, and eating such rich food was always a rarity.

"You were asleep. You're like me and forget to lock the door."

Naruto grinned and glanced over to his father, who was frowning. "You don't lock the door?"

The toaster made a bursting noise as the pop tarts sprung upwards, and Naruto grabbed a paper towel and wrapped them in his palm. He wandered over to his father, who had taken a seat on the bed, and shrugged.

"No, I forget. Gaara reminds me." He nibbled on the corner of the breakfast pastry, trying not to burn his tongue. It tasted sweet and rich in his mouth, and his father motioned for him to sit down in front of him.

"Mm. It's good that Gaara looks after you," he said, and Naruto felt his father's fingers weave through his hair, and he heard the scissors snip from above him.

"He worries too much," Naruto said flatly, and he watched as his father made a pile of the snippets beside them. He took a big bite of the pop tart in his hand, savoring the gooey fudge that was melted inside.

"It's good to have someone worry about you while I'm gone," Minato replied, but Naruto could tell that he was focused on trimming his hair. Naruto frowned.

"Last night you said that they are just trying to steal me away."

There was a brief pause where the sound of cutting stopped, and even Naruto paused on chewing the food in his mouth. He felt a pressure on his shoulder and turned to the side, noting that Minato had rested his forehead there. He could feel his father's hot breaths on his shoulder, and he swallowed.

"Dad?"

"I'm sorry, Naruto." Minato's voice was low again, and full of an emotion Naruto couldn't name. Something like regret, but with more embarrassment, and some sentiment of sincerity that Naruto didn't feel he deserved.

"It's okay," Naruto said, but he didn't feel like it was enough. His father peeked up at him, his eyes a darker shade of blue than his own.

"It's not okay, and you shouldn't think it is. The things I said—I was drunk. I shouldn't have been. The Sabaku family is a good family Naruto… I owe them a lot for everything they've done for you…"

Naruto frowned and laughed, something that seemed to catch Minato off guard. He raised an eyebrow and Naruto spoke.

"I can handle it. Anything that happens… it's not like I wouldn't wait for you." He shook his head like it was a ridiculous idea, and ate another piece of his pop tart. Minato frowned and turned his head towards him, looking concerned—an expression that Naruto thought bizarre.

Didn't his father want him to always wait? He had always assumed that Minato would be excited to know his loyalty, or his strength. Everyone wanted a strong little boy, someone they could depend on. That's what he was… so why did Minato have such an anxious face?

"Naruto, why didn't you take the money from the ice box to get food when you ran out?" The question seemed strange to Naruto but he shrugged.

"It's your money, not mine."

Minato stopped Naruto from eating the pop tart and looked at him steadily, examining him. Naruto held his breath for a moment, not used to the serious look he was receiving. It was almost as if he should be in trouble, but for what, he had no idea.

"That money is _ours_, Naruto. Yours and mine…"

Naruto nodded, caught off guard by the concern in his father's voice. He felt nervous all of a sudden, like he had done something wrong.

"Did I make up upset?" he asked. He turned to his father and set the pop tart down, looking nervous, "I'll go to the store today. I'll use the money,"

Minato only stared down at him, his expression somewhat blank. It was a moment before he smiled and shook his head.

"You should be worried about little kid things," he laughed, but Naruto could hear it sounding less enthusiastic. His father handed him the pop tart and turned him around, returning his attention to trimming his hair.

"I don't feel like a little kid, though," Naruto said quietly, and from above him Minato shook his head, looking much more regretful than he had before. Naruto crumpled the paper towel in his hand into a ball and Minato finished up, wiping his hands dramatically and grinning in an attempt to lighten the mood he seemed to have set in the room.

"There you go. You look just like me now."

Naruto grinned and jumped up, throwing his napkin away. "Really?"

He jogged to the bathroom to look and he frowned a little.

"Aw, yours are longer," he whined, and Minato shook his head and stood up, discarding the little napkin of hair clippings into the waste basket. He wandered up to Naruto and they both peered in the mirror, both like reflections of each other. Naruto wondered if he would look like his father when he grew up, tall, lean and strong, and he compared their hair now that he could see them together.

He held out a strand, and from behind him, his father tugged his cheeks.

"When you get older you can wear it longer. You've got pudgy little cheeks though," and Naruto shook his head away.

"I'm not chubby. And someday I'm going to look just like you!" he said it as more of an affirmation than anything else, and Minato laughed, ruffling his hair again.

"Hopefully you'll look a little better than me," Minato laughed, and Naruto glanced up at him. His father smiled and cocked his head to the side.

"I'm going to go to the store. Will you be okay if I leave you here for an hour or so?"

Naruto frowned. "I want to go." He turned around and peered upwards, his expression wanting. Minato shook his head though.

"I know that this is hard to understand, but…People can't see us together. Just for a little while. At the end of this week… you and I are going to be leaving this place. It's a secret though."

Naruto raised an eyebrow in confusion but he nodded. "Alright. Are you in trouble?"

Even though the question sounded childish, Minato could hear the truthfulness behind it. He wondered when Naruto had matured so much, and it worried him. He didn't want Naruto to worry more then necessary.

"A little, but nothing I can't handle."

Naruto watched him for a moment and nodded, "Alright, I won't go with you."

Minato smiled and held up a finger dramatically.

"I need someone to guard the fort," he motioned around the room and Naruto laughed.

"I will."

Minato picked up a jacket by the door and tucked a wallet into his back pocket before blowing a kiss to his son. Naruto waved as his father disappeared out of the door, the bright sunlight making him flinch. When the door closed and he opened his eyes, he couldn't help but notice that everything was dark once again.

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**A/N**, Thank you for all of your reviews! Again, check my author page for update status! 

And as for the story, I'm glad Minato has finally got a glimpse at what he's done to his kid. You want to hate him, but he's still kind of a good guy. Blargh.


	8. Who to Follow

**Dead Weight**

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**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Haha. In the nick of time! Thank you for all of your reviews! One or two more chapters left and then the time skip. Everything will be much more exciting then, promise.

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**Chapter 8: Who to Follow **

Naruto was surprised to hear a knock on the door and his first thought was that it was his father. He leaped up from his crouched position on the kitchen floor and set down the scrub brush he had been using on a pan, dodging to the main room as fast as his legs could carry him. When his hand met the cool metal of the chipped golden doorknob he flipped the lock and pulled the door open, his eyes widening somewhat in surprise.

"Kiba," he said, and the figure in front of him cocked his head to the side and smirked.

"Not even a hello?" the other boy asked, and before Naruto could make a motion the brunet shoved past him, pulling a windbreaker jacket tight around his chest. Naruto frowned and turned around, upset at how Kiba had invited himself inside.

"What are you—" Naruto started, but he stopped himself as soon as Kiba flopped down on the king size bed that doubled as a couch. "My dad is coming home. Why are you here?"

Kiba frowned and made a spot for himself upon the upturned coverlet, and Naruto hastily rushed over to make the bed. As he yanked a few folds out from underneath the other boy, Kiba fell onto his back to impede the process.

"What are_ you_ working so hard for?" he joked, and he yanked Naruto's hand, causing the blond to collapse onto the bed next to him. Naruto frowned.

"I'm cleaning so everything looks nice for when my dad gets back. Why are you here?" he glared down at the other boy, ignoring the playful smirk he was receiving in return.

"What, a friend can't visit?" Kiba pouted for a minute before rolling onto his stomach, gaining the same height as Naruto. He swung his legs up behind him and kicked them to an unheard rhythm.

"I can't be your friend," Naruto stated, and when Kiba raised an eyebrow he turned his attention down to the comforter below them. Gaara had made him promise, although Naruto wondered what it was worth after the previous night with Neji. Kiba scooted closer and tilted his head below Naruto's, peering up to get his attention.

"Why can't you be my friend?" Kiba asked, and his expression was serious. Naruto shrugged, feeling uncomfortable with their close proximity. He pulled his head up higher, away from the other boy's.

"You're weird." Naruto said and Kiba snorted.

"It's your brother, right? He told you not to talk to me."

Naruto couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, wondering how Kiba was so knowing. Not that it mattered, but it was as if the brunet was always two steps ahead of him…somehow.

"Yes," the blond submitted, and he made his tone as level as possible. Kiba chuckled.

"I didn't think he had you on a leash," he commented, and his tone made Naruto frustrated.

"I am not on a leash."

"Do you do everything he tells you to?" Kiba looked amused.

"No."

"Are you sure?" he asked and Naruto glared, pulling himself into a sitting position.

"Hmph." His eyes drifted to the entryway door and he frowned, wondering how long his father would be gone. It had already been an hour…and he didn't know if he had gone to run other errands on top of grocery shopping.

After a moment of thought he glanced down to Kiba who was still staring up at his with a keen and inquisitive look. Dark lashes traces the outline of faded hazel eyes and Kiba was smiling, amused with Naruto's irritation.

"Where _is_ your brother, anyhow?" Kiba glanced around as if noticing that Gaara was uncharacteristically absent. Naruto tensed a little before letting out a low breath.

"He's at his own house." He said, and he knew that his voice sounded unsure. He had focused his thoughts more on his father than his friendship with the redhead next door but he could tell that Kiba was fishing, trying to lure information out of him.

"You sound upset," the brunet said and Naruto shifted uneasily. Now that he was thinking about Gaara, he felt the wave of emotions return.

"I'm fine now that my dad is back." he admitted honestly, and Kiba frowned.

"What happened?" he questioned, and Naruto glanced up at an unfamiliar edge in Kiba's voice. He sounded…protective? It was interesting considering Naruto had always given that role to Gaara.

Naruto spun around, swinging his legs over the bed and settling on his feet before shaking his head. "Nothing," he said, and he wandered over to the kitchen to pick up the pan he had left on the floor.

He could feel Kiba's eyes follow him as he placed the pan on the counter and rubbed his stomach, feeling hungry for the first time that day. It had been a while since he had eaten and he glanced at the clock, wondering how much longer is father would be.

"Are you hungry?" Kiba asked, and Naruto spun around, raising an eyebrow at the boy's perceptiveness. It was strange; not even Gaara could pick him apart as much as this new boy.

"My dad went to get food," Naruto said, and Kiba rolled off the bed, casually placing his hands in his pockets. He was grinning again; that smile that made Naruto feel uneasy inside.

"Let's go get something to eat," Kiba volunteered, and Naruto shook his head.

"My dad is coming with food," he repeated, but Kiba only walked forward and grabbed his wrist. Naruto stumbled forward as Kiba pulled him to the door.

"Hey, hey—!" he dug his foot into the carpeting to stop Kiba but the brunet was surprisingly strong for his small stature. His hand was already pulling the door open before Naruto tripped over the door frame.

"I don't have any shoes on, you jerk!" Naruto yanked his hand backwards just as Kiba released it, the action sending him tumbling back into his apartment. He glared up after rubbing his elbow, disgruntled.

Kiba smiled. "Get your shoes then," and the brunet glanced to the side where Naruto's tennis shoes sat. Naruto glared up and frowned, wondering if Kiba had been listening to him at all. Still, his stomach was beginning to grumble.

"I don't have money." Naruto stated. It wasn't a lie and was a valid excuse.

"I do. Come on, if we hurry we can get back before your dad does." Kiba glanced out of the door towards a corner store up the way and Naruto bit his lip. He could wait for his father to get home for food, that wasn't the problem. He had waited longer than a few hours for a meal before. But shaking Kiba was a whole new task.

"Fine, fine, but let's hurry!" Naruto pulled on his tennis shoes and jumped onto his feet. Grabbing his keys from a shelf by the door he followed Kiba out, locking the door behind him. A flurry of movement caught his attention from the side and he turned, surprised to see Kankuro exiting his own doorway.

"Where are you going?" Kankuro asked and he glanced back and forth between the two children. Naruto turned his attention to Kiba, feeling as though he had been caught doing something bad.

"What's it to you?" Kiba said suddenly and it surprised Naruto. It seemed to shock Kankuro too because his eyes widened for a moment before narrowing skeptically.

"Naruto," Kankuro said as he turned his attention back to the blond, "where are you going?"

Naruto frowned and pointed to the corner store, disliking the feeling of being dishonest. Kankuro had always done everything in his best interests, despite the fact he knew the older man didn't like his father. From across the way, Kankuro spoke.

"And who might you be?" he asked Kiba and the brunet snorted.

"I'm Naruto's _new_ big brother," he stated and he threw his arm over Naruto's shoulder to affirm his point. Naruto raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

"I don't know what he's talking about," Naruto said and he started to walk towards the terrace above the stairway. He pulled Kiba behind him, not wanting the other boy to say more bizarre things to Kankuro, but paused when Kankuro called for him again.

"Naruto, be careful," he said and Naruto could hear the warning in his voice. He already knew that he needed to be cautious around Kiba and to be honest, he wasn't completely comfortable around him. But at the moment he welcomed the company, somewhat grateful that is wasn't someone else.

If it were Gaara he would have to explain why he felt upset about the previous night, and if it were Kankuro he would have to explain who Kiba was…and for someone he barely knew, the brunet acted as if he knew Naruto better than anyone.

So he turned and smiled at Kankuro. A smile he knew showed that he knew what he was doing and even hinted that he was perfectly happy and energetic. It was enough to satisfy the older man and after he and Kiba jogged down the rickety stairwell, he made a quick turn towards the corner store.

Kiba jogged up to his side and laughed a little. "You're good at that," he stated.

Naruto twisted his head to the side in order to view him and looked confused. "Good at what?"

"Looking like everything's alright," the brunet said casually, and it made Naruto's stomach tighten. Had Kiba noticed? Gaara could rarely notice when his smiles were hiding something. Not that he intentionally did it…but he wanted to be happy and optimistic. But even so, he couldn't help the thoughts in his mind.

"Everything _is_ alright," he said, and from beside him Kiba snorted.

"You can't fool me," Kiba chuckled. "What happened anyway?"

It took Naruto a minute to realize that Kiba was repeating his question from earlier; the one that centered around Gaara. He frowned and glanced back to the parking lot of the motel, hoping not to miss his father's return. Glancing back, he spoke softly.

"When people kiss, it's because they love each other, right?"

The question seemed to catch Kiba off guard, which made Naruto think he wasn't as perceptive as he had originally thought, but it soon slipped into a calm and knowing expression. Kiba shrugged and pulled his hands into his pockets again, a movement Naruto was beginning to find trademark.

"I guess. What, did your brother kiss you?"

The thought had never crossed Naruto's mind and he shook his head, feeling awkward. "No!" he almost shouted, and then his voice grew softer as he turned away. "He kissed…someone else."

"Ah," Kiba said, and held the door to the corner store open for them both to enter. Naruto eyed the aisles with interest, only because it was rare that he went any place aside from his house or school. He seldom got candy or sweets, and found himself following Kiba to the chip aisle, his stomach growling loudly.

"Pick what you want," Kiba said and then returned to their topic of conversation. "I don't believe in love," Kiba said and it sounded very mature to Naruto. Kiba leaned over and rifled through a few bags of Doritos before spotting one that suited him, and Naruto settled for a small bag of Lays. The brunet gestured towards the checkout counter, again looking older than he was.

"Then why were they kissing?" Naruto asked, and then added. "They're both…boys."

This seemed to draw Kiba's attention in further, and after he set the money on the counter for an older looking tenant, he laughed. "It's not weird, I see it all the time."

Naruto's eyes widened and he took his lays off the counter, jogging to catch up to Kiba who was already exiting the small store. A bell rang as the door slid shut, and Naruto felt curious.

"Where do you see_that_?" he asked, and Kiba smirked.

"I'm not like you. I am not on a leash." Somehow his comment implied that he went places and did things…things that Naruto knew Gaara wouldn't let him do. It frustrated him, but it also made him nervous, and curious.

"Do you _love_ your older brother?" Kiba asked nonchalantly, and Naruto found himself frowning.

"Yeah…like I love my dad, I guess."

"Then you're just curious?" Kiba tilted his head back, and Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Curious about what?"

Kiba stopped suddenly and Naruto did too, startled by the brunet's quick action. He turned to him and his eyes widened, surprised when Kiba's lips pressed onto his, lingering for a moment before pulling back. Naruto stared for a minute and Kiba grinned, opening his chips with a _pop_. He stood up straight again, and Naruto felt his body go rigid.

Glaring up at Kiba he frowned, walking ahead quickly in embarrassment. What had that meant? Did Kiba think he was curious about kissing? It made him frustrated.

"Are you mad at me now?" Kiba asked from behind him and Naruto didn't bother to turn back. At least until Kiba gripped his arm. Naruto spun back.

"Why do you talk to me?" Naruto asked, and Kiba looked confused.

"Why wouldn't I?'

"You make me feel weird," Naruto admitted. Kiba was dangerous, but still Naruto wanted more. He wanted to know what Kiba meant by having no leash or what it felt to not have the burdens that he felt. But in the same light, he had his father, and that man meant the world to him.

"That's because you're stuck with a bunch of losers," Kiba said icily, and Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"Gaara is not a loser," he rebutted, and Kiba raised an eyebrow, popping a chip into his mouth.

"Whatever you say," the brunet said, and Naruto snorted.

"_You're_ a loser." he said.

He crossed his arms over his chest and pouted unknowingly. Kiba laughed a little and began walking away from him, and Naruto felt strangely at a loss. "Where are you going?" he asked and Kiba was making his way back to the main street. The brunet turned and pointed behind him, and when Naruto turned, he saw Gaara sitting outside of his door of the apartment complex, looking angry.

Naruto swallowed back a well of guilt and went up the old cement stairwell, not anxious to hear a lecture. When he got to the top Gaara was standing, and Naruto didn't have time to fumble for his keys.

"Naruto," Gaara's voice was concerned, "You promised me you wouldn't hang out with him." Gaara looked different today, with dark blue denims and a maroon sweater that clung to his body like a second skin. His eye shadow was heavier than usual, and it made his eyes look bright in contrast.

"He just shows up." Naruto said truthfully, but Kiba's words wouldn't stop running through his head.

_On a leash?_

Was he on a leash? Would he do everything Gaara told him to? Was Kiba that dangerous, just because he was different?

"I don't like that kid," Gaara said again and Naruto couldn't help but talk back.

"You like Neji." Even he was surprised when it left his lips, more as a statement than anything meant to be hurtful. It caught Gaara by surprise and he glanced down, away from Kiba who he had been following with his eyes.

"What?" he asked, and Naruto shook his head and looked away, feeling stupid for bringing it up. What did it matter even? His father was back and in his head, he found it easier to repeat that Minato was the only person he needed.

He dug in his pocket to retrieve his key and jumped a little when Gaara put a hand on his shoulder. When the blond looked up, bright green eyes were boring into him, concerned and wanting.

"Naruto, what are you talking about?"

Naruto felt too anxious to finish unlocking the door and paused, turning towards Gaara and feeing out of place. His heart hurt and he didn't even know how to explain himself.

"You were kissing him." He said, and it was obvious that Gaara was a little embarrassed by the expression on hi ace. Naruto continued. "Because you love him."

Gaara seemed confused by this statement and shook his head.

"Neji kissed me," he seemed to solidify, and Naruto frowned, noting that he hadn't denied the second part.

"I thought you loved me," Naruto said, and the words felt ridiculous to him. Why was he speaking so freely? Why was he so angry?

Gaara glanced from him to where Kiba had disappeared at the horizon and raised an eyebrow. "Has he been telling you all of this?" he asked, and Naruto could hear the anger in his voice.

Naruto wasn't sure what to say because if he hadn't met Kiba, he probably wouldn't have thought about it as much as he had. He frowned.

"Naruto—" Gaara said, but from behind them, a bustling could be heard. Naruto turned in time to see his father coming up the stairs, bags of food in hand. The anxiety that Naruto had felt seemed ot fade away at the sight and he rushed over, eager to help his dad with some of the groceries.

"I'm sorry I was gone so long, kiddo," Minato said, and Naruto glanced back to Gaara as he took a bag full of instant noodles. The redhead looked confused, and angry. Angry at Kiba, Naruto figured, thought he wasn't sure why.

Minato finished unlocking the door and went inside and before Naruto could follow, Gaara stopped him, and hugged him. Naruto felt awkward for a moment, but settled into the embrace, feeling like he had never seen Gaara so genuine.

"Naruto," Gaara said, and he pulled him back so he could look him in the eyes. "Don't' listen to that boy," '_on a leash'_ , Naruto's mind thought, but he willed it away. "I promised I would protect you, so trust me."

Naruto nodded out of habit, but inside, he was caught off guard. He had forgotten that Gaara had made that promise…or maybe deep down he had figured Gaara had forgotten. But now, hearing it again, it made him feel like following the redhead wasn't such a bad idea. Being on a leash was okay, wasn't it, if the person with control was someone you trusted, right?

He watched as Gaara disappeared into his one house and felt strangely relieved, his old feelings towards Kiba returning as he decided that Gaara was the person who had been through the most with him, even if Kiba still made Naruto more curious than he had ever been.

He walked inside and set his bag down, closing and locking the door behind him. His father was unpacking the few things he had bought, and when he spoke Naruto's head perked.

"I didn't buy a lot because, well, actually, I was hoping it would be a surprise..." He said, and Naruto felt giddy.

"A surprise?" he glanced up to his father and the older man smiled brightly, and waved his hands in defeat.

"Alright alright, I'll tell," he said, and Naruto smiled.

"We're going to be moving, Naruto," Minato's voice began and Naruto felt his expression fall. His stomach clenched and his heart felt thick, Gaara and Kankuro and even Kiba rushing through his head. His father mentioned something about a house and something about 'normal'…but it fell on deaf ears.

Naruto felt his stomach drop and he clenched his fists.

Just whose leash was he on?

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**A/N-- ** Like I said, only a couple of chapters left until the time skip. It will be super SasuNaruSasu then...but for now. I gotta set the stage.

Kiba is a piece of work, isn't he? So manipulative...but in a very honest sort-of way. Hmm.

I hope you all enjoyed it.

XD


	9. The Decision

**Dead Weight**

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**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** M. **Warning: **This chapter contains violence and harsh language.

**Comments:** Long wait, I know, but hey! This is the last chapter of part one. Chapter 10 will be the first of the time skip and well...things will get much more interesting...and much more NaruSasuNaru.

Enjoy!

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**Chapter 9: The Decision**

"I know we don't have a lot, but put everything you want to take in here," Minato set a large cardboard box next to Naruto, and shook it a little for definition.

Naruto took hold of it and stared into its vacant opening, feeling as empty as the cold carton that seemed to stare up at him. He frowned and turned his attention back to his father, surprised that Minato had already bustled back to the kitchen, organizing canned goods into a box of his own.

Another glance down to the box gave him a small surge of motivation and Naruto dragged the container behind him as he made his way to the bed. He didn't have many toys, just small trinkets his dad would occasionally bring home from his absences. Still, he began to pick up the assorted keychains and notebooks and put them inside, wondering how he was going to fill the entire crate.

"Leave some room, Naruto," Minato's muffled voice came from the kitchen, "because we'll need to put your clothes in there, too."

Naruto glanced back down to the box and it suddenly seemed fuller as he imagined his shirts and jeans tucked inside. The space left at the bottom was filled quickly with a few books he had, the _Wind in the Willows_ and the _Cricket in Times Square_ being a couple favorites, and as he began to rummage through his two drawers of apparel, his father surprised him by running a warm hand through his hair.

"Aren't you excited?" Minato asked, though when Naruto whipped up to view him the older man was staring out of the parted blinds of the window, taking in the view somewhat dreamily. Naruto forced an awkward sort of grin and pushed his folded shirts deeper into the box, hoping his father wouldn't see the doubt on his face.

"I've been waiting for this day for so long, Naruto," Minato said, and Naruto felt his father's hand settle on his shoulder. "It will be you and me, from here on out." And strangely enough, that comment seemed to settle the gentle swarm of anxiety building in Naruto's stomach, if only for a minute.

"What time do you need to be at school?" Minato asked, and Naruto glanced over to the blinking alarm clock on their bedside table. They had a half hour to get there.

"Eight," he responded coolly, and he felt the warm and comforting presence of the older man leave him, most likely in search of keys. It had been a long time since his father had walked him to school, and it made him feel strange. Had he really become that independent? It made his heart hurt a little, wondering why he couldn't stop thinking about never seeing Gaara, Kankuro or Temari again.

"Do you have your backpack?" Minato smiled from the door, and Naruto nodded, grabbing it from under the bed. He wasn't excited to go; he hadn't finished any homework and he knew that teachers were going to ask questions.

As he found his way to the outer landing of the motel room, jacket in hand, he waited for his dad to lock to door before they both ventured down the rickety stairway and towards the alleyway leading to the main street. A few bums were passed out along the brick baseboards of truck docking areas, and Naruto was surprised when his father pulled him closer, as if to protect him.

"Has it always been like this?" he asked from behind, and Naruto nodded.

"Usually Gaara is with me," he said in return and he heard his father mumble something about being gone too much. He silently agreed, and as they reached the main street he decided to be happy for what his father seemed to be so excited about, despite the unrest he felt.

"So, where are we going?" he questioned, and Minato grinned and looked like a little boy himself. They crossed the street as he spoke.

"I was wondering when you'd ask," he laughed, and continued. "It's a small town up north, hidden away from the city… with all new people and new places. It's in the country so there are trains—you'll love to see those—and a friend of mine owns a bookstore there… it will be so good Naruto, so good for us both."

Naruto frowned at the description, not sure of what to think. He had been raised in the city all of his life, and when he thought of the country he immediately imagined himself working on a farm. But the trains sounded nice. Like any little boy he had always wanted to see one.

"It's such a small town," Minato continued suddenly, sounding enraptured with his own musings, "that they call it the Leaf Village. It's towards the foothills a little bit so there are trees everywhere… not at all like here… with the streets and smog…"

Naruto watched his father's expression change as his thought drifted off, his eyes seeming almost desperate for the mental image he was creating. Naruto felt the hand on his shoulder tighten a little, and almost as soon as the forlorn look crossed Minato's face it disappeared, replaced with a contented grin.

"We just have to get through today, and tonight—we're off. Just you and me," and Naruto smiled in return, looking as hopeful as he could make himself to be. His father nodded and Naruto wondered if his dad could tell he was a little discontent, but in all truth it didn't seem like it. It was as if they had been apart for so long that now only Naruto could read his father's actions, and not the other way around.

They approached the school and children buzzed around in the schoolyard, playing games and entertaining each other with youthful chatter. Naruto had never had the opportunity to participate, so he found himself walking straight towards the entryway doors, another ten minutes before his morning class was scheduled to begin.

Minato squeezed him tightly and he turned around, following his father's eyes to meet his own as the older man knelt down to his level.

"You can't tell anyone about where we're going, okay? It's really important," he almost whispered, and Naruto nodded, hoping his teachers would leave him be for the day.

His fathers continued, "Actually, don't even tell anyone that you're going anywhere. Just pretend like today is any other day."

Naruto nodded again and glanced to the door, half expecting Tsunade to burst out from it, demanding questions as usual. His father seemed to take in his action as impatience and excitement for school because he swatted him on the back and stood tall.

"Alright. Have a good day and I'll be back here to get you at three, okay?"

Naruto smiled up at his dad before turning to the doors, more anxious to get inside and make himself invisible than learn. He found his way to his classroom and settled into a seat in the back, happy that most students were still outside playing despite how close it was to eight in the morning. The door rattled, startling him, and he glanced up.

"I didn't think you'd be here today," Kiba said and he slung his backpack on the floor beside Naruto, sitting in the sidelong seat. Naruto frowned and sat back in his chair, wondering why he was there himself. Kiba cocked an eyebrow.

"So, was your brother mad at you?"

Naruto glanced over to the other boy and thought for a minute. "Yeah. He really doesn't like you," he explained.

Kiba laughed a little before frowning. "Well, I guess that's alright 'cause I don't like him either."

Kids started to pile into the classroom and Naruto was grateful when they neglected to ask him questions about where he had been. Not that he assumed anyone truly cared, but it wasn't as if people hadn't picked out lesser opportunities to poke fun at him.

"What's the matter?" Kiba asked from beside him, and when Naruto looked over to him he was slouched back in his chair, his feet propped up on the one in front of him. He looked older, Naruto thought, not like an elementary school kid. And he was staring at Naruto, boring a hole straight through him with his question, reading Naruto like a book.

"I just don't want to be here, is all," Naruto said, and it was at least a partial truth. A popular boy from class wandered to the chair Kiba's feet were occupying, and after a sharp glare from the young brunet, the kid hastily bustled off to find a new seat. Kiba yawned.

The teacher entered a few minutes late and took role, looking skeptical when Naruto announced his presence. Gai had always been a little too eager to pass judgment, but it seemed as though today he would at least wait until a break to confront Naruto about why he had been absent the couple of days before.

He started his lecture and Kiba scooted closer, obviously not interested in the lesson of the day.

"Something else is bothering you," he said, and he pulled out a long stick of something from his side pocket. It was beef jerky. He offered it to Naruto and the blond shook his head, forgetting that he hadn't eaten that morning. He watched as Kiba shrugged and unwrapped it himself, taking a bite. From the head of the class, Gai sounded irritated.

"Kiba, please eat _before_ you come to class. It's not fair if you don't have enough to share with everyone now, is it?"

Kiba raised and eyebrow and took another bite before answering. "If everyone else is hungry they should bring their own food."

There was an odd sort of silence where even Naruto wondered what was going to happen, but Gai quickly filled it with his voice.

"And you should eat before class and not talk back to your teachers," and like always, Gai seemed to dissolve the situation with a beaming smile and wink, something that Kiba almost appeared to stare completely blankly at. When Gai returned to scribbling vocabulary words on the board, Kiba tuned back to Naruto.

"I'm serious. What's up?"

Naruto wondered how Kiba could know things that not even his father could read from him. He used the same smile on Kiba he used with everyone else—the same beaming grin that made everyone think that he was alright. Hell, even Gaara bought it most o the time. But Kiba was a different animal. He didn't just look at Naruto, he saw _through_ him.

"I'll tell you later," Naruto decided, because Kiba was just like him and had no one else to tell his secret to. He doubted Kiba would tell any of the teachers and despite Gaara's warnings, Kiba seemed to be more of a friend than he had originally intended or thought he would be.

"Kiba, Naruto, please go out into the hall," Gai said from the front of the room, and even though Naruto knew his voice had been low, he was sure that Gai had been searching for some excuse to get them both out. Kiba was the troublemaker and he was the kid with home problems, and he was old enough to know that meant 'special' treatment. He frowned and reached down to grab his bag, surprised when Kiba stood as well, waiting for him. They both wandered out, ignoring the looks from other students as they exited, Kiba looking oddly content.

"Thanks. It will be much easier chatting without you talking over us," he said smoothly, and Gai's normally happy demeanor looked almost threatening for a moment.

"I'll be out there in ten minutes. Don't even think about ditching."

Naruto nodded and Kiba didn't make any sort of promise and they both ended up out in the hallways, seated underneath a glass casing displaying children's artwork. Kiba was happily finishing off the rest of his jerky when Naruto decided to tell him.

"I'm leaving tonight."

Kiba glanced over to him, confused. "What, you're running away?"

Naruto shook his head and slouched a bit more, trying to get comfortable against the brick wall behind them. "No, my dad found a new place for us to live. There are trains there… and it's called the Leaf Village or something."

Kiba raised an eyebrow before he cracked a grin. "That sounds boring."

Naruto tried not to laugh a little himself, not sure of what to say. On one hand he dreamed of being on an adventure alone with his father, but on the other, he hadn't realized how close he had become with the people around him. For the first time he felt like he had friends, and losing them made him question things… made him question his father even, which made him uneasy.

"I don't want you to leave," Kiba said and when Naruto glanced up to meet his gaze, the brunet's eyes weren't on his at all. And though Kiba was strange and suspicious, his words felt very real and honest.

"I… don't want to leave either, I think," Naruto said, and Kiba snorted.

"You're dad must be in it big," he supplied, and Naruto looked confused.

"What are you talking about?"

Kiba glared at him. "You're kidding, right? Your dad probably wants to book town to get away form someone. That's how it always is."

"My dad doesn't have anyone to 'get away from'," Naruto argued, feeling defensive. He fiddled with the zipper on his backpack while Kiba gave him a skeptical look.

"He really has you going," Kiba stated, but before Naruto could give him a piece of his mind, he waved his hands in defense. "But he's your dad, so whatever."

There was a long period of silence where they both just sat quietly, not knowing exactly what to say. Naruto had never been good at goodbyes, and Kiba seemed irritated more than anything else.

"You should just stay with me," he said, and Naruto smirked.

"I don't even know you."

"We kissed, didn't we?" Kiba nudged Naruto's elbow and Naruto frowned at the memory. There was another pause and Kiba spoke.

"You should get out of here," he recommended, and Naruto raised an eyebrow. "If you stay they're just gonna ask questions and it will make it harder for you to get home."

Naruto was surprised and almost thankful. Kiba was… helping him. Like a friend would. Despite his threatening sort of character and his troublesome ways… he was making an opening for Naruto, even though Naruto could tell that he was extremely unhappy with the fact he was leaving.

"Go on, kid. Get out of here. I'll stall him," he smirked, and Naruto nodded, standing up with his bag in hand. He would just go home and wait it out and not worry about his last day of school. It didn't seem worth it anyway.

"Kiba…" Naruto said awkwardly. He fiddled his fingers and the other boy stood up, peeking under his fallen bangs with a satisfied smirk.

"Are you going to cry?" he was almost laughing, and Naruto glared.

"No—" and before Naruto could block it Kiba pecked Naruto's lips, the same as the day before. Naruto stumbled back and wiped his lips, and Kiba laughed loudly.

"You jerk," Naruto said, looking angry. Kiba settled back down on the floor and waved him off, looking away, and Naruto trotted off towards one of the outer doors, narrowly missing the eye of a hall monitor. As he exited the building and headed for the street, he stretched his lips, Kiba's face running through his head.

He was smart. Kiba had made him angry, he realized, to make it easier for him to leave. And aside form that, it wasn't as if kissing him had been bad… just… new.

Naruto shook his head and took off at a jog, crossing the schoolyard in an open area that was easiest to be caught in, hoping he would make it to the sidewalk before a para professional would stalk him down. He felt at ease when he made it, glancing back one last time at the school that had brought him so much trouble, before turning to head home.

* * *

It somehow wasn't surprising when Minato wasn't home when Naruto returned home. He debated on whether or not to return to the school, wondering what his father would think if he arrived at the school at three only to find that Naruto wasn't there, but decided that Minato was smart enough to figure it out. And there was Kiba.

So instead, he decided to take a nap.

It was a short nap because he kept waking up, feeling antsy and hot in the stuffy room, and nervous. He was leaving; he still couldn't believe it.

He wondered what Gaara would say if he told him. Wondering made him want to tell the older boy, all the anger that Naruto had felt before drained from him, replacing itself with something more like love. And not a kissing-love like he had seen Gaara do with Neji, but the type of love he had for his father when he was around.

It made him feel stupid for being so upset and shady for not running over and apologizing and admitting everything. He stared at the spinning ceiling fan on the ceiling, circulating hot air throughout the room, and knew that Gaara would probably do everything in his power to stop them from leaving.

Because as much as he tried to pretend like he didn't notice, he knew that the Sabaku's didn't care for Minato, or trust him. And even though Naruto felt the need to stay more strongly than ever, he still felt as though he owed his father the world. Flashes of Gaara's face discovering him being gone entered his thoughts and he rolled onto his side, his heart hurting.

He lay there for a few minutes before twisting off the bed, deciding to finish up packing in order to distract himself. He only had a few more clothes left, and he figured he could finish up the kitchen on his own as his father had left the boxes sitting out on the floor. It was funny how many boxes there were, because Naruto was sure they didn't have that many belongings.

The boxes lined the bed , as that seemed to be the center point of the room, and most were full of things of his fathers—books, magazines, toiletries—and the rest with things from the kitchen. Naruto finished up the lower cabinets when a knock sounded on the door, and it startled him, making him stumble back.

"Naruto?"

It was Gaara. Naruto stood completely still, feeling as if one breath would symbolize his presence. He wanted to run and open it, but he had been such an idiot for being angry, and for making Gaara worry. He didn't want the older boy to worry about him any more. He just wanted to disappear from his life and hope that Gaara found somebody more worth while, or at least, that was the mantra repeating in his head.

"Naruto, are you inside? If you are, please open up." There was a pause, "Your teachers are looking for you and I can't hide you if you stay in there."

Naruto smiled a little at the thought but was perfectly fine in assuming his teachers wouldn't be able to get inside his motel room. He felt his heart beating quickly and his chest tightening, feeling an ominous wave of guilt overwhelming him.

There were a few more knocks, and Gaara announced to someone else—most likely Kankuro—that he wasn't there. They sounded worried, but Naruto took a deep breath. Everything would be okay; it always was.

It was past three now, nearing six in the evening, and Naruto hadn't even noticed that he had slept or been packing for so long. It hadn't crossed his mind that his father was late getting home, and even if he had stopped at the school Naruto figured he would come back home to check for him.

Naruto frowned. His father did have a tendency of being late.

He was about to finish the last top cupboard when another knock sounded on the door; a loud and desperate one. Naruto frowned. Couldn't Gaara just _believe_ he wasn't there? He wasn't answering, he was barely making any noise…

His vision swiveled to the window and he noticed that the blinds were still tilted up from the morning and he frowned. If Gaara tried to look through the window, he'd definitely be seen. He saw a shadow begin to move towards it and bounded across the room, crawling on the floor underneath the bed, feeling stupid as he did so. His knee stung as the carpet bit into it, and from the peeks of light that cut through the blinds onto the floor, he could see the silhouette of a figure pressing against the window.

It disappeared, and the knock was louder. Naruto saw the shadow return, and his nerves began to tingle. He suddenly felt cold, and his heart felt slow as he listened to the beating against the door; a pounding that wasn't anything like Gaara or even Kankuro would do. Even the shadow looked bulkier… and unfamiliar.

_POUND POUND POUND._

The banging was so loud that Naruto was surprised the door didn't come off its hinges. Naruto was breathing hard as one last thud rammed into the mortar wood, and jerked backwards when the door did fly open, slamming against the back wall with a piercing crash.

Naruto didn't breathe, waiting, watching as two booted feet drifted across the floor, recognizing the sounds of their belongings as the intruder seemed to rifle through some of the boxes at the foot of the bed. He heard silverware clatter together and the figure chuckle a little before drifting further in.

Naruto was too terrified to move. The only thought running through his mind was a variation of 'please don't find me', and it played like a broken record in his head, so loud that he was surprised the man couldn't hear his thoughts.

His heart beat pounded against the carpeting like a timpani, and his fingers shook as he dig into the carpet, feeling with every ounce of his being like the person inside his home was the exact same person Gaara had always warned him about.

As Naruto heard the creaking of the linoleum of the bathroom floor, he debated on if he had time to shuffle out and take a run for it. The door was so close to him; he could see the evening colors playing on the floor and feel the cool draft from outside. He scooted silently against the carpet, keeping his eyes glued to the bathroom area, prepared to freeze if any shiny black boots came into view.

The coast seemed clear. He shimmied to the side, ignoring a set of springs that absently caught his cheeks, hissing as he felt the familiar swell of blood. He immediately clamped a hand over his mouth and glanced towards the bathroom door, almost jumping when someone burst through the front door, making the wood splinter against the back wall for a second time.

"I'm telling you to give me another week," another pair of feet came in, these much more familiar. The voice was familiar too, though it was a tone Naruto had never heard his father use. It was pleading, urgent, and even desperate.

The person in the bathroom came out somewhat quickly, laughing.

"Ah, you found him," the voice sounded playful, and it made Naruto's skin crawl. He forgot about the scratches on his face while he desperately tried to follow his father's movements, noticing how they were slow. Was he hurt?

"I just need one more week," his father pleaded again, and this time, the person who had dragged him into the room wandered over to the front door, closed it, and locked it.

"You've had too much time already," the voice said, and it was deep and unforgiving. Naruto watched as Minato stumbled backwards and gasped as the stranger buckled forward, knowing only that his father had just been punched by the pitiful cracking sound that seemed to echo in the room. His father let out a grunt and Naruto saw a box of Kleenex fall onto the floor from a tall armoire near the window, expecting his father to collapse next to it.

That did not happen, however. The figure walked forward and stood close to Minato, or so only Naruto could tell by their feet, and from across the room, the first trespasser snickered.

"Oh, he looks like he might cry," there was a pause. "You lost us too much money, Blondie…"

"It's unfortunate that your life isn't even worth what you lost," the figure closest to Minato said, and from across the way, the other man sounded thoughtful.

"Or is it?"

The question was answered with silence and another painful punch breached Minato, and Naruto heard him gasp for air. The sound was so loud—like a taiko drum he had once heard at a school play. He couldn't control the shaking in his hands and he was close to shivering, tears he hadn't known existed running rivers down his cheeks, stinging the tiny cuts.

The figure nearest the bathroom wandered towards the bed, and Naruto's eyes widened, noticing one of his pencils on the floor. It was colorful with footballs and soccer balls, and had a huge baseball eraser jutting out of the top. The feet stalked closer and he pulled his hands together, praying that the man hadn't seen it.

But the feet came forward followed by a hand, reaching for the trinket. Naruto swallowed and felt his stomach clench.

_They've found me._

But the hand only brushed the pencil off the ground and stood back up, issuing another laugh.

"This is a little childish for you, don't you think?" Minato grunted from Naruto's left side and the figure with a deeper voice spoke.

"Where's your kid, Minato?"

There was no answer. Naruto stared at his father's feet while the silence continued, and clenched his eyes closed when the man grunted and moved across the room, his father's feet dragging behind. There was a small noise, but Naruto couldn't see what was happening beyond the boxes.

"Where's your fucking boy?" the voice demanded and Naruto heard the wall shake as he assumed his father was smashed against it. There was a gargle and cough before Minato answered, albeit reluctantly.

"At daycare—" Another powerful smack.

"You're a horrible liar, Minato," and there was a ruffling of material before Minato's feet came into view, along with the rest of him. He collapsed onto the floor in between boxes, and Naruto's eyes widened as he took in his father, bloody nose, fat lip, swollen eye and ragged breaths. He was coughing against the floor and glanced up, and Naruto felt more tears stream out of his eyes as his father's eyes widened, looking regretful as he recognized his son.

He coughed some more and the man stepped over him, wandering towards the kitchen. The man from the bathroom met him there and they rifled through some of the boxes, as if searching for something. Minato glanced forward desperately, but Naruto could see how bruised he was. He was practically gargling blood; the bastard had punched him in the throat.

"_Run_," his father said, and Naruto glanced to their feet before whirling his vision back, shaking his head. Snot was running into his mouth and tears made his vision blurry, and he was frightened.

Minato glared at him, his expression, though bruised and bloodied, looked more serious than Naruto had ever seen it. "Naruto, when I say it," he coughed over his whispers, "_run."_

Naruto's attention jerked to the side as something fell from the cabinet, and the playful sound as one of the men laughed out loud as he almost tripped over a big jar of pretzels. The other man grunted, saying something about money being hidden.

Naruto caught movement from in front of him and glanced forward, looking down at a crumpled piece of paper his father pushed towards him, covered in drying droplets of blood. Naruto looked confused and took it, his father looking exhausted, pitiful, and so forgiving.

"I'm s-so sorry. I love y-you," he managed before he coughed again, and he looked at the paper, "Get them… away—"

"Who the fuck are you talking to?" The deep voice sounded and Minato's lips closed, his bright blue eyes focusing on Naruto as if to say, 'this is it'. The man hoisted Minato up and Naruto saw his father jerk forward, head butting the guy back into the kitchen, tumbling over the other man over the jar of pretzels that had fallen earlier.

"Run!" his father croaked and Naruto kept the paper clutched in his hand as he shuffled out from under the bed, sobbing to himself as he dodged towards the door, yanking it with all his might.

Locked, locked _locked_!

His mind shouted at him and he fumbled with the lock, his hands too sweaty, slipping and sliding over the knob. He glanced back towards the men, both stumbling upwards, looking at him desperately.

"Hurry," his father whispered, and the deep-voiced man said, "It's the kid," before lunging forward. Naruto cried out as he finally loosed the bolt and yanked open the door turning to his father, waiting for the older man to follow behind him.

Because they were going to escape together… right?

But his father turned towards him and smiled, blue eyes glistening in the light, stark in contrast against the mahogany streams on either side of his face, and slammed the door shut, locking it from the inside.

Naruto panicked.

He flung himself against the door and pounded, yelling his father's name. He screamed and cried and hear yelling from inside; pounding, punching, desperate cries for him to run, and then—a trigger. Naruto stumbled backwards and glanced to the stairway, tripping as he tumbled down the two flights, running. Running towards main street, running towards the lights, running away.

He stopped dead in his tracks when a gun went off. His heart froze his lungs stilled and his legs felt heavier than any weight. He knew.

He was in the shadows as the door opened, the two men exiting, though he couldn't see them clearly. They were glancing around, looking for him. To kill him. Like they had just killed his father.

Naruto gasped and looked around, too dazed to think. His head was spinning, his nose was clogged, the gunshot and his father's cries ringing in his head. He stumbled backwards and cried some more, confused and unsure of where to turn. The bulkier man was coming his way and he couldn't think hard enough to find any place to hide and main street was too far away.

He was going to die. He clutched the paper in his hand.

The footsteps were getting closer as the man drew nearer, and Naruto was about to collapse into a helpless heap when a hand grabbed him around the mouth and pulled him backwards dragging him onto the ground into a tiny alleyway only kids could fit into, and dark enough so that no one could see inside. Naruto spun around as the figure pulled him closer, feeling the heat from the other person's body pulsing against this back.

He mumbled and the hand around his mouth tightened.

"Shut up," the voice demanded, and Naruto's eyes widened. Kiba. Why on earth was Kiba there? He didn't think though, he froze. The man shuffled past, searching around, his eyes cruising straight past them and on towards main street before he cussed and retreated.

"The fucker got away," he said in the distance, most likely to the other man. He spoke back.

"It's not like we can't fake the kid's death anyway. I doubt Minato had records—and that kid's got no where to go. He'll be six feet under before we even need to worry about telling Zabuza."

There was a grunt in return and the roar of police sirens sounded in the distance, and Naruto listened as the two men shuffled around, the sounds of wheels peeling across gravel sounding as they whizzed out of the back lot in a sleek black vehicle.

Naruto broke down sobbing.

"Naruto, stop. We have to get out of here." Kiba grabbed his hand and yanked him away, further down into the alleyway. Naruto tugged back.

"I can't just—just leave him," he said, and Kiba looked irritated and sad for him.

"Naruto…"

"He's not." Naruto shook his head, and Kiba tightened his grip before he tugged him out onto another backstreet, pressing them both against the wall as two police cars sped by. He rushed them across the street towards another alleyway and settled them into the darkness, another area only they could fit.

"Kiba—he's not dead." Naruto wanted Kiba to agree, he wasn't arguing. He needed someone to tell him that it was a dream; that it was fake. Kiba let out an analytical breath before speaking.

"Naruto," he put a hand on his shoulder, "come with me. Depend on me. We can depend on each other."

Naruto let more tears tumble from his eyes, noting how Kiba didn't deny it. Kiba pulled him close and hugged him talking still.

"I knew something was wrong when your brother came looking for you at the school," he said and Naruto sniffed.

"Gaara—I should go to _Gaara_—"

"No, you shouldn't." Kiba said suddenly. "If you go back, they'll think you did it. If you go back to Gaara, they'll think he was involved and he'll get in trouble."

Naruto felt numb. The tears were beginning to slow and his head just ached. Kiba released him and made him look him in the eyes. "Are you a little better now?" he asked, and Naruto shrugged.

Kiba seemed to think that was enough as he grabbed Naruto's hand and pulled him further away; away from the sirens and onto a side street off of the main, and onto a somewhat populated sidewalk near the school.

"You can stay with me. My parents won't care," Kiba said. "They're wanted criminals anyway—they're the best people to hide with because they're experts at it," he said and Naruto just stumbled behind, feeling lost and absent. Kiba continued to ramble and Naruto couldn't forget his father's face or is father's words.

_I l-love you._

He wanted more tears to come but they wouldn't, no matter how much he tried to force them. And the look in his father's eyes… if he had only been stronger he wouldn't have just hid, he would have helped.

_Get them… away…_

What had _that_ meant? Naruto didn't know. But his father had been so exhausted. So tired. Minato had _died_ for him… oh, Gods, that feeling was coming back.

Naruto ducked behind a bus bench and got on all fours, feeling as though he could throw up at any time. But there was nothing in his stomach so he only ended up hacking against the cement. Kiba ducked down next to him, looking concerned.

"Naruto, I'll protect you," he said again and with more comfort. "We can depend on each other," he repeated as well.

Naruto felt the paper crumple in his hands and sat back, and Kiba pointed to it.

"What is that?" he asked, and Naruto shrugged.

"He gave it to me before they—be-before they—"

Kiba took it and opened it, looking confused. "It's… a name."

Naruto glanced up at him.

_Get them… away…_

His eyes widened. Get them. That's surely what his father had meant… he wanted Naruto to get this person.

"There's other stuff written next to it… um, let's see," Kiba shifted under the light on the bus stop and nodded. "I've seen these. It has the name of the person who owes money and how much they owe, and a list of all of their contacts…"

Naruto stood up next to Kiba, feeling awkward as his tired mind attempted to focus. He kept getting flashes—that fox. The good luck fox; the one that was unique and that could survive anything. Overcome the odds—the one that gave his father everything; the one that was a part of him.

"Naruto," Kiba said and Naruto shot a look at him before taking the paper. They were quiet and Kiba spoke again to end the awkward and heavy silence.

"Naruto, what do you want? What will make you happy again?"

It would have been a strange question if they weren't so young, but Naruto wiped away the mix of tears and blood from his cheeks and shoved the paper into his pocket.

"I want to kill him."

Kiba's eyes widened momentarily before they settled again, looking too adventurous for such a comment. "We better get home then," he said, and began to walk down the street. Naruto gathered his energy and followed, unknowingly taking his first steps into a new and dangerous world.

"What the heck happened to your face, by the way? You look like a fox or something," Kiba joked, and Naruto shook his head, ignoring the comment.

"What was the name of the guy. The one who skipped out on my dad," he asked instead, and Kiba raised an eyebrow as they both disappeared down the darkened street.

"From the paper?" Kiba asked, and Naruto nodded.

Kiba seemed thoughtful for a moment, as if trying to remember.

"Itachi, I think," there was a pause. "Yeah, Uchiha Itachi."

Neither one of them once looked back.

* * *

A/N-- This was a toughie to write. It made me all sorts of sad. And shaky. And I don't even know if it was written as suspensively as I would have liked...but trying to imagine myself in Naruto's situation got me all nervous. It's a good thing he made it out though...but this poor kid.

**Anyhow, here's a mini summary for part II:**

Naruto is older and dead set on revenge; to punish everyone he sees responsible for his father's death. There're only a few people left on the list, and Itachi's harder to get to then he ever would have imagined. Naruto sets his sights on Itachi's younger brother, planning to use him to reach his goal...and never intending to have any_ feelings_ at all...

Too bad things never go as intended.

I won't wait this long to update again. Promise! See you guys soon.


	10. Chapter 10

**Dead Weight 10**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Update, update! Wahoo. Thank you so much for all of your reviews; I adore you all to death.

Here begins the time skip; six years later.

Onto part TWO od Dead Weight.

* * *

**Chapter 10:**

The crumbling texture of the highway was lost beneath him as he thrummed the gears of his orange Ducati, urging it to go faster. It groaned beneath him as he tilted it sideways, riding low to the ground as he sped towards an exit, leather jacket billowing behind him.

The summer night was muggy from the grueling day causing bubbles of humid fog to hover beneath the street lights. Clouds ebbed out the moon and darkened the horizon even more so than usual, making the bright lights seem like lanterns hovering in the air.

As he picked up speed he flew towards the nearest exit, pushing himself lower against the bike to increase his speed.

It had been a long day of riding, and even though the wind whipped against his skin as he zoomed forward onto a residential street, he could feel beads of sweat forming underneath the inner forehead-band of his helmet. Even his hands felt clammy against the rubber-grip handles of the bike, but only because he was getting excited.

It wasn't every day he could push 120 on a nearly empty street, dodging dangerously underneath street lights as they blinked bright red above him. He enjoyed the feeling of that constant risk; a jeopardy he controlled somewhat, and as he planted his feet more firmly against the holdings below him, he felt the dry clutch let out a winding groan.

_Faster._

It was nearly eleven at night, he read on a digital sign that whizzed by, and he smiled to himself as he swerved around a family minivan, whirling in front of it after he passed. The lights ahead of him had already turned red and he prepared to gun the acceleration, pausing slightly as his eyes caught a sign labeled, 'Desdemona Blvd.'.

Frowning he slowed his pace, letting the Multistrada screech a little beneath him as he skidded into a stop, planting his foot on the pavement beneath him to pull the bike around. Desdemona sounded familiar, and damn the fact he had never been very good with directions.

A car pulled up beside him and he tilted his head to the side, a smug grin overwhelming his features. It was a bright red Cambrio with its top pulled back, three obviously college-going girls examining him, looking ready for a night on the town.

And Naruto chuckled. Women had a hard time resisting men on motorcycles.

Pulling off his helmet he shook his head, letting the fresh night air assault the sweat that dampened his faded blond hair. He winked at the driver as he glanced over, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

"You ladies wouldn't be willing to point me towards Baywater, would you?"

For the life of him, that was the only name he could remember from MapQuest. Something about Desdemona and then another insert about a street that reminded him of Bill Clinton… and then Baywater; which was his destination anyhow. It was a dorm area anyway, and judging by the playful looks on the girls' faces they knew exactly where he was trying to go.

"Are you headed to the party?" A pretty blonde asked from the back, and Naruto resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow, wondering if it was _that_ popular. He figured he should have assumed as much, considering what kind of people would be at it, but he didn't let his contemplation cross his features.

He was very good at playing it cool.

"I suppose it depends. Are_ you_ going to be there?"

The girl giggled and sat forward, lugging an embarrassing amount of cleavage over the edge of the car as she attempted to give directions. The other two girls were laughing in the front, and Naruto wondered if they were already hammered.

By the look of the half-empty bottle of tequila between the girl on the passenger side's legs, he figured yes.

"So what you want to do," she drawled out, and squinted her eyes as if she were planning what to say, "is take a left here. The college is up the street; Baywater's the first house."

Naruto watched as she grinned up at him as seductive as an eleven o'clock drunk could be, her brightly glossed lips popping open as she began to ask him something else. Seeing the light turn green Naruto winked at her, a motion that sent most girls silent. And like most girls this one blushed a little and lost her thought, leaving time for Naruto to pull his helmet back over his head.

Saluting in a half-hearted way he revved the Ducati forward, peeling in front of the Cambrio as he wasn't in the left turn lane. He hustled forward and kept his eyes peeled for a college, having only seen community colleges back home.

And lord was this one different.

As he drifted up a hill-top road a castle came into view, only instead of being some sort of child-book palace it was definitely a school. And a religious one at that, he noted, as a giant bell tower for Sunday mass protruded from the center like an archaic chimney. He couldn't see much else but the building's silhouette in the darkness, but he could imagine the magnitude of the university.

He twisted sideways into the first turn after spotting a huge sign labeled Baywater, and smirked when he saw how many cars were already scattered outside. While house parties were entertaining, he had already experienced his share of partying at a young age. Now at seventeen he was more focused, more goal oriented. He was ambitious and clever, and more resourceful than anyone he knew. Who else would have found Shino Aburame in less than two weeks and managed to plan a devious exchange of goods?

Naruto felt self-satisfied as the students loitering outside gave him curious and jealous glances, admiring his two-tone motorcycle. The fiberglass shell was a neon orange, decorated with intricate red flames, all designed to match his helmet, which had been a gift from Kiba. A joke of sorts, with the rounded back featuring a burning fox head with glowing eyes.

As Naruto parked his Ducati in the gravel he kept his helmet in tow, giving dark glances to anyone who gave his bike a wandering eye. It was one of the things he had worked for and paid for himself, and he valued it more than anything else. It was his symbol of labor and freedom, and he'd be damned if anyone laid a hand on it.

He straightened his leather jacket and drifted towards the main doors, not surprised at how easily he fit into the crowd. Even though he had boyish features he had an air of maturity, and even danger about him. People tended to trust him easily, and he had always been friendly, although Kiba always told him he was _too_ friendly for his own good.

After entering the building he scanned the room for his rendezvous partner, somewhat anxious to get back on the road. College was so strange to him, and it was house parties that made him grateful he had never had the opportunity to go.

Although a part of him wanted that experience. In a different world and under different conditions, he thought, and he drifted past a crowd of minglers to a living area which seemed to be over-run by beer pong. He glanced to the side as someone tapped his shoulder.

"Do I know you?" A guy said, and he ran a hand through his hair. Naruto laughed a little as he didn't recognize the guy at all, and surmised that he wouldn't be able to remember anyone with how wasted he was. Naruto shook his head. "Probably not," he said.

"'Cause this is my house, you know," he managed, and he squinted his eyes, "and I was wondering if I know you. Or knew you," he narrowed his eyes, "Who are you again?"

Naruto placed a hand on the man's shoulder and glanced suddenly to the right, willing to play a little dirty to keep his presence on the low.

"Hey, that girl is calling for you," Naruto said, and the guy whipped his head to follow Naruto's line of sight, stumbling to the side a little.

"Really?"

"Totally. Hurry before she finds someone else," Naruto ushered, and was thankful there was a petite young brunette around them to lure the house owner away. The guy nodded gratefully with a lopsided grin, his thoughts on Naruto completely faded. Naruto felt another tap on his shoulder.

He felt irritated only momentarily before turning to see the person he had come to meet.

"Shino," he said happily, and he hugged his helmet tighter to his waist. "I was beginning to think you stood me up," he added. The other boy frowned, or at least it seemed like it underneath the dark sunglasses he was wearing.

"You stand out too much," he stated firmly, and Naruto chuckled.

"I told you it'd be easy to find me."

Shino shook his head and cut through the crowd, making his way towards a sliding glass door leading to the fraternity house's backyard. It was quieter on the other side of the house, and at the moment, the backyard seemed empty. Leading him outside, Shino pulled a disc from his grey sweater pocket.

"This key generator can get you any password for any database you need. It's easy to use, too—an infant could do it," he explained, and they stopped to chat on the outer deck. Naruto nodded.

"You computer people always say that and forget that the rest of us aren't script literate," he responded, but he took the disc anyhow. In return, he handed Shino a crumpled paper from his pocket.

"Kiba got all these off market yesterday. Just choose your poison and we'll call it a night," he grinned, and Shino eyes widened.

"Kiba must really know how to work," he said, and it was a statement Naruto couldn't deny. If anyone could raid a shipment, Kiba definitely could. He had mastered the art of thieving, and the money he earned off re-selling equipment was enough to successfully relocate them both from his parents. But that was a story within itself.

"Damn. I'll take the IBM external hard drive then…I mean, damn. That's nearly four grand at the store," he still seemed surprised. Naruto grinned and took the paper back.

"Hard drive it is," he said brightly and he tucked the CD into his inner jacket pocket. He glanced around the yard as a few people emerged into it, rolling around in the grass after a football someone had managed to loose form the house.

"I'll send it here unmarked," Naruto said, and the procedure was normal. People would feed him information that he needed and he would mail them their bootleg requests with no return address of any kind. Most of his resources he met over the internet, and so they only knew him by his screen name, Kyuubi.

He liked to keep it that way.

"Is that it?" Shino asked, and Naruto nodded.

"Yup. I really appreciate this," Naruto tapped his jacket over the square bulge of CD and Shino nodded and raised an eyebrow.

"Although it hardly seems fair. I'm definitely getting the better end of the bargain," he commented, and Naruto shrugged.

"Depends on where you stand, I guess. Alright, keep in touch." Naruto waved goodbye as he descended the stairs of the deck, intent on cruising around the side of the house to get to the front rather than go back through the craziness inside. He dipped to where he could see the wooden chain linked divider and went forward, a little caught off guard when he saw a few shadows up against the wall.

One figure was hovered over what looked like a trash can and the other was loitering above, laughing brutally. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Damn man, you're such a pansy. It was only two shots!"

All questions in Naruto's head were answered when the figure over the trash stilled for a moment before coughing, making the other man laugh even harder. "Oh, man," he said, and the figure over the trash can growled.

"Just leave," he said, and Naruto watched as the figure got defensive and shrugged, still smirking. "Mm, alright man. Find me when you're not gonna puke in my car," he said, and he drifted off, still cackling to himself. Naruto rolled his eyes.

College was so bizarre to him. It seemed vaguely ironic that it was the place where you molded your career… and the place that gave birth to, well, _this_. His eyes drifted up to a second floor window that burst open, two guys laughing as they poured something out the window in a drunken stupor, laughing manically about it.

Naruto strolled forward, doing his best to ignore the poor student hunched over the trash can. He was quiet in his discontent, and even though he coughed, it sounded more like he was dizzy and uncomfortable rather than ready to hurl.

As Naruto neared him the figure fell to his knees, wobbling forward to support is weight against the metal piece of equipment. And Naruto knelt down next to him.

"Are you alright?" he asked, and the figure swung his attention to the side, completely surprised to see anyone. Naruto smiled and took in the stranger's features, hidden well by the dark overcast of the house. He looked miserable, and it struck a chord in Naruto.

When Kiba had first gotten him drunk, the reasoning had been to 'toughen him up'. It had been when he was fourteen and he had been sick for days, and vowed never to drink again… and the feeling he had felt then, the inexperienced bewilderment of it all was plastered perfectly well in this person's eyes. He wasn't used to drinking and his friend's had probably forced him into the party, and now he was exhausted and abandoned, and completely wasted.

"Can you stand up?" Naruto asked, slightly concerned. No one looked this torn up after only two shots, no mater how inexperienced. And Naruto was smart enough to know never to drink at house parties because shots were rarely what you thought they were. Bartenders at such events were dangerous by nature, and it looked like Naruto had found one of their many victims.

"Go away," the figure said, and his voice was raspy and tired. He fell forward against the wastebasket, his head bopping against the metal exterior. Naruto's eyes widened a little in alarm.

"Hey, no sleeping," he said, and he grabbed the guy's arm, ignoring the death glare he received in return. He yanked the man up, surprised at how light he was, and how much he staggered forward against him. For such a cruel look Naruto figured he's sobered a little, but now, after struggling to keep the other man standing, he wondered what a _sober_ glare would look like.

"Leggo of me," he mumbled, and regained some sort of balance. "Ugh, I feel awful," he said.

Naruto shifted beside him after letting him go, realizing that he wasn't the type of person to have other people hover over him. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"You need a ride home?" he asked, and the figure glared at him again. This time the moon caught his face and Naruto's eyes widened a little, surprised to make out the feminine features of the male in front of him. They were oddly familiar, too… but then again, every time he saw an Asian male he imagined _that _man, so it was no surprise.

"No, I don't know you." The figure stated, and Naruto let out a sigh.

"Your choice. Get home soon though, your drink was probably spiked," he offered, and then added, "it will get worse if you don't sleep it out."

From a couple windows above where they were standing the guy from earlier popped out, laughing wildly again. "Are you still alive, Sasuke?"

Naruto heard the boy groan in annoyance and from above, the irritating friend spoke again.

"Want me to dri—"

"No, Suigetsu. I'm going home with him," Sasuke stated flatly, motioning towards Naruto. Naruto frowned and glanced up at the other boy who was squinting his eyes to take him in.

"Who are you?" the friend said, and Naruto shrugged.

"Not drunk," he supplied, and the guy laughed too hard for the small joke. Before he could say anything else Sasuke grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the front yard, looking anxious.

"Which car?" he asked, and Naruto waved his helmet.

"Bike," he said and he pointed to his motorcycle, safe and sound in the gravel beside the driveway. The Asian boy looked irritated.

"You're kidding," he stated, and Naruto laughed and tugged him over towards it.

"It'll feel better than a car, trust me," he said and as they approached it, Naruto turned and looked the boy in the eye.

"Are you going to throw up?" he asked, and Sasuke shook his head.

"No, I just want to sleep."

Naruto nodded and pulled his helmet from underneath his arm, placing it above the other boy's head.

"I'm not wearing that," Sasuke stated, looking completely at odds with the helmet. Naruto frowned.

"My bike, my rules. Put it on." Luckily the guy was too out of it to really hold an argument so he let Naruto slide it over his head, looking dejectedly from inside the visor. Naruto sat down on the upper seat and pulled the Asian boy behind him, waiting patiently while he got settled, obviously dizzy.

"Put your hands around my waist," Naruto said loudly, so that he could hear through the muffled siding of the helmet. He didn't turn to see the questionable look in the man's eyes, but instead tugged the hands around him, locking them tight around his stomach.

Naruto felt the awkward hesitation of the motion but was set at ease when Sasuke nearly collapsed against him, fatigue beginning to set in. Naruto twisted his head to the side and asked, "Where am I taking you?"

Sasuke mumbled something against him, something about Coney Creek and 204. A couple passed by Naruto's left and he caught their attention, feeling the figure go pretty limp against him from behind.

"Coney Creek apartments are right up the street," the man said and he gave a few more helpful directions. Naruto figured 204 was the apartment number.

After thanking them he re-tightened the arms around him and jutted forward, weaving in between the cars to get out. Normally he didn't make an effort to befriend random people, but something about this person made him feel like it was the right thing to do. It had been a long drive to get upstate and he figured one good deed would help with the onset of karma he had already managed at such a young age.

He was just lucky that police didn't ask too many questions when dealers ended up missing. It was because of that fortune that Naruto was closer than ever to nailing the man who pulled the trigger on his father.

The side-streets were packed with paralleled cars and Naruto found himself frowning at the speed he was forced to go. Sasuke—and why that name sounded so familiar he couldn't place—was out like a light behind him. Naruto could tell because he was somehow managing to steer with one hand, locking the pale college student's hands in place against him.

When a big tan sign labeled Coney Creek Apartments finally came to view, Naruto let out a sigh of relief. Though his intentions had been good, transporting was starting to seem above his head. Pulling into a parking spot he glanced up at the building, letting out a low whistle.

Damn kids with money.

"Hey, wake up," Naruto said, frowning as he managed to sidesaddle his bike without losing his passenger. He twisted around to let the Asian boy fall against him, groaning as he was jolted from his less-than-peaceful reverie.

"Damnit," he mumbled, and Naruto helped him off the bike, deciding to leave the helmet on the boy until they got inside. He was too wobbly and unstable to carry himself, and Naruto wasn't about to leave his headdress sitting around outside—no matter _how_ nice the neighborhood.

"Come on," Naruto hoisted him up, still surprised at how light he was. "Where are your keys?"

Sasuke murmured something that was completely inaudible from inside the helmet, but Naruto assumed it was meant to be 'pocket'. Allowing his shoulder to be a headrest he reached down into Sasuke's front pockets in an attempt to rummage for the keys, wanting to be prepared when they got upstairs. After jerking them out he pulled Sasuke's arm over his shoulder and started forward, grateful he had some muscle mass on him.

As they reached the entryway a doorman leapt up from a reception desk in order to get the door, his eyes wide. Naruto grinned a little, looking like a good samaritan.

"Is he alright?" the man asked, and Naruto nodded and waved his free hand dismissively.

"Oh, yeah, he'll be fine," he said, wanting to save as much of the poor kid's pride as he could. If he really _wasn't_ used to drinking then this was probably the first time anyone had seen him as vulnerable as he appeared. The doorman skipped ahead through a nicely decorated lobby towards a set of elevators and shook his head.

"I knew this would happen one day," the man said, and he looked discontent. "If my roommate was always bringing home random _men_…" his words drifted off and Naruto smiled, even though he felt the urge to snort. What was wrong with being gay?

As the elevator dinged and the door whooshed open, the doorman seemed to regain his thoughts. "Thank you for getting Uchiha home; if this got out it would be hell on his parents," and Naruto nodded and stepped forward before his eyes widened.

"Wait," he said, and the doorman paused before turning around to respond. Naruto raised an eyebrow. "His last name is Uchiha?"

The doorman nodded slowly, his expression showing that he was in a deep contemplation of whether or not he had said something wrong. Naruto felt his stomach tighten and his hands clench tighter around the figure in front of him.

He smiled charmingly. "Ah, alright. Have a nice night."

The man smiled in return and shuffled off as the door slid shut, the elevator making chatterbox noises as it went up one floor. Naruto pulled Sasuke forward until he found his door and felt himself laugh a little as he managed to unlock it and enter, half-carrying half-dragging the college student inside.

He nearly dropped him on a couch before removing his helmet, and went to close the door to the apartment.

"Ugh, water," Sasuke said, and Naruto snaked his way into the kitchen and found bottled water in the fridge. Grabbing one he returned to the couch and crouched below Sasuke, extending the drink after he unscrewed the top.

Sasuke took a few gulps and let out a sigh, and Naruto couldn't help but shake his head, letting out an amazed chuckle.

"Sasuke Uchiha," he stated, and the Asian boy raised an eyebrow at him, looking a little more sober with the cold liquid washing through his system.

And even though Naruto was a little clumsy, there were some things that almost constantly stuck in his head. The name Uchiha, because it was usually paired with Itachi—the man he was searching for. And now Sasuke, an older and egotistical boy that he remembered vaguely from his childhood.

And looking at him now made some small memories resurface, though nothing big enough to quote on. He wondered how the odds of such an encounter could be so much in his favor, since he was positive this person was related to the man he had sworn his life to kill.

"That's my name," the boy said, and he sat forward, looking terse. "You can feel free to leave now," he responded, obviously feeling awkward about the way Naruto was looking at him. And Naruto could feel it; a hunger that had been awakened. He had found an in, by fluke, and was damned to imagine that the person capable of ruining his life had someone like _this_ related to him.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Naruto asked, and the boy looked angry. Naruto picked up his helmet and shrugged, knowing his personality type. Sasuke's pride was hurt, but he'd want to fix that. Rich people hated loose ends.

"Well, when you're ready to thank me, you'll need my name," he said wantonly, and he wandered towards the door. "And believe me, if you ask around enough, 'Kyuubi' will definitely get you to me."

The Asian only grunted and Naruto turned to leave, pulling the door shut behind him. Patience was a virtue, and one he treated immaculately well. Patience could get you anything, anywhere… and bring _anyone_ to you.

It was only a matter of time.

They always came to find him.

* * *

**A/n:** Naruto on a Ducati makes me fangirl for real.

Yeah, I'd chat more but it's 6 am and I gotta go to work. Love you all!!


	11. Chapter 11

**Dead Weight**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Helloooo! Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews and I'm sorry that I didn't get a chance to reply to them all. I will do better this time around, I promise!

* * *

**Chapter 11**

By the time he reached the inner-city, dawn was brimming over the horizon and morning traffic was beginning to speckle the freeway. His legs tightened against his bike as he sped around a familiar street corner, ducking low under a bridge-way that led to his and Kiba's shared garage.

He hit a familiar speed bump and rose off the seating, swerving the Multistrada next to Kiba's Acura LT with a skid. He nearly jumped off the leather seat while he removed his helmet, wiping muggy condensation from his forehead.

He was tired and hot, despite the chilly breeze that wafted in with the morning sun. It had been a long night and he had driven for most of it, and even though he loved the freedom of his Ducati, he hated long journeys. Given, the mission had proven more successful than he would ever have imagined, but his thighs were cramped and the palms of his hands were red, even with the protection of his leather gloves.

He closed the garage door behind him as he entered the duplex, pulling off his tennis shoes before he ventured into the kitchen. He set his helmet on the counter and poured himself a glass of water, gazing passively out of the small window above the kitchen sink.

The window overlooked the quaint little yard of his duplex, one he and Kiba shared with a rowdy couple that neighbored them. Despite the fact Kiba made a living off selling un-purchased goods, the couple next door was less than angelic—and while the money-happy brunet insisted that they could afford to live more lavishly, Naruto had somehow managed to convince him otherwise.

It was harder to be found when they didn't flaunt their success.

Naruto set the glass in the basin of the sink and took a deep breath before turning away, anxious to get some sleep—and tell Kiba about his coincidental encounter. As he drifted into the living room he let out a chuckle, surprised to see his roommate perched on the couch, staring intently as a news program flickered on the TV.

"What on earth are you doing up?" Naruto asked, and Kiba cocked his head away from the television set, looking smug.

"Wouldn't you like to know," he replied, and Naruto did his best to look unamused. After a minute he smiled though, and a thoughtful expression crossed his face.

"Awe, were you worried about me?" he placed a hand on his hip for effect and Kiba looked disbelieving.

"If you couldn't handle yourself with a kid like _Shino_…" he said with distaste, and Naruto laughed. It was true—if Naruto had anything to worry about, it wasn't a college student with a knack for bootleg computer hacking equipment.

"Even though you say that," Naruto said, as he pulled the disc from his jacket pocket, "that _kid_ delivered."

Kiba's eyes widened and devious grin curled at his lips, and as he unfolded his legs and sent his feet to the floor, he motioned Naruto over. The other teenager complied and wandered in front of Kiba, holding the disc in front of him in a teasing manner. Kiba leaned back against the couch and smirked.

"You look like a kid in a candy shop," the wild-haired brunet noted, and Naruto could feel himself looking self-satisfied from above.

"You won't believe who I ran into," he said, and when Kiba raised an eyebrow he grinned further. Naruto opened his mouth to announce who he had conveniently met, but the television seemed to cut in from behind and Kiba's vision darted away.

"Wait a minute," he said to Naruto, and he yanked the blond down beside him on the couch, out of his view of the news program he had been watching from before. Naruto settled in next to him, enjoying the feel of plush cushions instead of hard leather. He let his head rest lazily against the couch backing as he followed Kiba's vision to the TV, curious as to what was so interesting.

'…_confirmed that a shipment of artillery was confiscated at the east end of the pier early this morning, all involved suspects have been taken to the county jail for further questioning—"_

"Hot damn!" Kiba nearly rooted himself off the couch in excitement. "I _told_ Yamato not to take that job, I _told_ him! Haha—now he's gonna have to get his sorry ass out of jail," Kiba tilted his head back to glance at Naruto, smirking with content.

Naruto rolled his head on the couch in the form of a 'no'. "They didn't mention any names so they've got no evidence to prove it was them. And besides, if your competition went away, you'd get lonely," he concluded, and Kiba pouted down at him.

"That's not true," he said, and he spun around and leaned down over Naruto, bringing their faces inches away. "I've got you, don't I?"

Naruto stared up at Kiba, smirked, and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah," he commented, referring to their friendship. They were practically inseparable, despite the fact they had two very different ways of thinking.

"You look exhausted," Kiba seemed to notice, and Naruto couldn't help but let out a yawn he had been stifling. He shrugged and comically flinched as the brunet ruffled his hair, watching as Kiba continued. "You got work tonight?"

A short nod answered the question and Kiba backed away from the couch, plucking the disc from Naruto's hand in the process. "I'll start on this. Get some sleep already," the brunet joked, and he disappeared into their small study, closing the door behind him.

Naruto stood up and stretched, afterwards making his way to his bedroom. He plopped onto his bedding and snuggled against it, the face of Sasuke Uchiha ghosting his thoughts.

"I met him…" he said against his pillow, and decided he had plenty of time to tell Kiba about his strangely eventful night.

* * *

The Chateau de Blanc was hectic as usual, with rowdy men and women lining the streets with hopes of getting inside. It was the same every night and none of them would be allowed entry, for the night-life hotspot catered to dangerous people who, for the right price, had any information you could want.

Few people were allowed in without passes because the giant and shimmering building had a reputation to uphold—on the outside it was ritzy and glamorous and tempted the wallets of many a person—and on the inside was dodgy and private, mainly a social gathering for people even the cops were too afraid to approach.

It was professional and clean with crystal drinking glasses and men dressed in lavish suits and ties, trailed by women who flaunted designer gowns they obviously had not purchased themselves. It was a place to listen and a place to watch—a place to hold your tongue and to be quick on your feet.

It was also the place that Naruto Uzumaki worked.

He wasn't very good at being invisible as he acted as a bottle-boy, drifting around the room with glasses of every drink imaginable in an attempt to get customers to drink.

There were incentives on how many glasses of expensive wines and hard liquors you could sell in one night, and even though his forward personality was enough to annoy, usually customers would simply take the drink just to get him to go away. It was all the same to him though, because the more he was able to chat with customers, the more information he could gather for himself.

"Hey, you—over here," a man said, and Naruto glanced up from his position at the bar as he exchanged for a new tray of refreshments. He wandered over and looked as polite as possible considering how rudely he had been called over.

"What can I get for you?" he asked, and the man, surrounded by numerous women, laughed.

"What do they call you? I don't seem to remember your face," he said, and Naruto smirked.

"That's understandable," Naruto smirked, "it _is_ pretty dark in here," he finished. The man snorted.

"Ah, a funny guy," he remarked and he waved his hand in the air. "Bourbon, and make it quick."

Naruto nodded and wandered back to the bar to place the order, grateful he had managed his way out of naming himself. Even though the Chateau catered to a rough crowd, the owner was still a couth little business man, always insisting that honesty was the best route—which meant that if asked, you gave any paying customer your real name.

Naruto snagged the small glass of bourbon from the counter and hustled back over to the older gentleman, satisfied to see that he was surprised in how quickly Naruto had retrieved his order. His aged eyes narrowed a fraction before he tipped Naruto a twenty and eagerly turned back to his cluster of tablemates, all taken with their topic of conversation.

If they had had been discussing something other than vehicle theft, Naruto may have cared to stay and chat his way in—but instead he weaved off into the darkened crowds balancing his serving tray on his shoulder, hoping to find a more valuable conversation taking place. As he drifted towards the stand-around dance floor he felt a tug on his white button-up and he peered over his shoulder to see who was responsible.

"Orochimaru." Naruto wasn't surprised to see the decrepit old man curled in a booth, his eyes wide and welcoming as usual. The older man was smiling somewhat confidently as Naruto threw a couple half-hearted glances around the room, making sure his boss wasn't monitoring his movements. Standing around wasn't really commended for his line of work.

"Is that champagne?" Chapped lips parted awkwardly for the question and Naruto settled his tray on Orochimaru's table, whisking out a tall wineglass from the center for him. The sparkling liquid was still bubbling in the glass as Naruto handed it to the older gentleman, and to his surprise, Orochimaru motioned for him to sit.

"If I sit, Kurenai will have my job," Naruto explained, although what he was saying was common knowledge. The gaunt man seated below him knew the rules of the night club, but enjoyed pressing Naruto's buttons. It was irritating, even for someone as energetic as him.

"If she says anything, I'll have her job," he replied casually, but the tone made Naruto's stomach roll a little inside of him. Orochimaru wasn't the type who made empty threats, and he was one of the most powerful people who frequented the Chateau. Naruto took a belabored breath and slid into the booth across from him, keeping his gaze steady and unyielding. If he had anything going for him, it was his stamina. Screw fear, confidence is what kept you alive.

"Doesn't it feel good to take a break?" Orochimaru said, and he swirled the glass in his hand, relishing the moment. Naruto continued to stare somewhat placidly. How he had ever managed a run-in with the tycoon in the first place was still hazy in his mind, but ever since, the older man had been stuck to him like glue.

It was disturbing.

"It's always good to take breaks," Naruto responded casually, and he took the opportunity to adjust the miniature bow tie clipped at his neck. No matter how hard he tightened it the bow always fell lopsided, something he had grown accustomed to being reprimanded for.

"You know I only come here on special occasions, don't you Naruto?"

The blond glanced up at his name, hiding the irritation he felt at it being used. Normally people he associated with called him Kyuubi, but the few people powerful enough to learn his true identity used it instead—like leverage.

"Awe, is it your birthday?" Naruto grinned belatedly and clapped his hands together in excitement. "I could sing for you," his grin dimmed into an expression slightly more exuberant, and Orochimaru ran a hand through his lithe black hair, untangling a nasty knot near the bottom in the process.

"Singing isn't the only thing I'd have you do," Orochimaru said smoothly, and Naruto's eyes narrowed a little, sensing the underlying character of the man in front of him. Despite the fact Naruto had experienced more than most adults in his lifetime, he was only seventeen. He doubted he was the only person Orochimaru had played, or the youngest.

"Ah, I'm afraid singing is all I'm good for when it comes to birthdays," Naruto explained sheepishly, trying to avoid whatever fantasy the old man looked about to delve into. Instead of continuing, Orochimaru smirked and changed subjects.

"I just may have information on your shooter," he said quickly, and Naruto's eyes snapped up unconsciously, his playful banter personality vanishing into something much more serious.

"What kind of information?" Naruto almost drawled, trying not to look too desperate. It seemed like a lost cause because he was read as easily as a book. He could tell his eyes already looked too interested and he licked his lips, all while focusing solely on the man in front of him.

"A name," Orochimaru stated and it made Naruto's heart jump. In all of the time that had passed since his father was murdered, from all of the sacrifices he had made and information he had gathered—the one thing he hadn't been able to place was the name of the man who had pulled the fatal trigger.

"I wonder how you managed that," Naruto's tone sounded dry and he couldn't deny the sarcasm in his voice. Anyone who worked under Zabuza was protected like fine jewelry, so how even someone like Orochimaru could manage a name was impressive.

"As much as you're too stubborn to believe it," Orochimaru flicked his tongue around the inside of his wine glass, cleaning off the remaining droplets of the expensive liquor, "many people find it hard to resist my… _power._"

Naruto felt his insides double again at the insinuation but kept his face level. "You have a lot of power," he said, choosing his words carefully, "and when you give me information that relates to my father, it becomes even more obvious just how much."

It wasn't a matter of whether or not Orochimaru had the resources—that, he certainly did. It was a matter of making sure than every bit of information Naruto received he paid back ten-fold in order to avoid becoming indebted to the perverted and estranged old man.

"You're such a smart boy," Orochimaru chuckled to himself. "You never ask for information before I tell you what I want," he put out, and he leaned across the table to take another small glass goblet of some red concoction.

"It's rude to eat before you pray," Naruto explained casually, and Orochimaru raised an eyebrow after sipping the blood-red drink.

"I didn't know you were religious."

"I'm not," Naruto cleared his throat, "but the concept is the same."

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed and he seemed to take Naruto in, scaling him down to size. It was one of those moments where Naruto wondered if he really was easily read, because Orochimaru looked like he was again trying to make out pieces to an intricate puzzle.

"What would you say if I told you I'd give you the name free of charge?" he asked, sipping at his glass a bit more. His eyes peered up at Naruto in a questioning way, and the blond sat back in his seat.

"I'd say I've waited five years for the name and that I'm perfectly able to wait a bit longer," Naruto said firmly, even though it hurt him to say it. He _wanted_ that name alright but, " the thing is, nothing in life is free."

Orochimaru opened his mouth to comment, but a hasty hand slammed onto the bare space of table next to Naruto, causing them both to jerk their attention sideways.

"Naruto, come with me."

Naruto frowned as Kurenai glared down at him, her expression livid. He shuffled out of the booth and turned to grab his tray, surprised when Orochimaru threw a wad of bills into its center. His eyes flicked over to Kurenai and Naruto knew it was some sort of payoff, some sort of, 'fire him and you'll deal with me' resolve.

Naruto felt dirty taking the old man's money, and he rarely kept it. He nodded in what he hoped looked like an appreciative gesture before he heard Kurenai's booming voice, and then turned to follow her into the back employee areas of the club. They were almost always empty and the fluorescent lights in the back hallways were always much too bright in comparison to the darkened lounge.

"Give me this," Kurenai's voice was less angry than before as she took the tray from Naruto's hands and set it on a metal levy that extended to the kitchen. Sooner or later a bartender would pass and pick it up to take care of the dishes.

"It's not as though I _want_ to chat it up with him," Naruto said firstly, and Kurenai, a stunning woman in her late twenties raised her eyebrows disbelievingly.

"Smiling and laughing it up with clientele like him is necessary, yes," she said, "but Orochimaru is dangerous, especially with young people like you. You're barely twenty-two—and he's got a way with making people owe him things," she said, and Naruto had to take a deep breath. It was amazing to him how many people bought the fact his fake ID read twenty-two.

"I realize that," he said, "But you're contradicting yourself. Either you want me to please customers or not," Naruto fought back, although he knew he was right. Kurenai was like a mother-hen when she wasn't a tyrant, and Naruto could only imagine what young bottle boys before him had lost their way in such a seedy environment.

"Alright, alright," Kurenai said, and she placed a hand on his shoulder, making an effort to look him square in the eyes. "If he gets out of hand, you come to me, understood?"

Naruto nodded, feeling awkward. It was rare that older people came to his aid, and so usually he dismissed it. With Kurenai it was different though because she looked genuinely concerned, although Naruto wasn't sure why. Few people had taken the energy to care about him in the past, and if history had taught him anything, it was that if you wanted something done right, you had to do it yourself. And that meant living life his way.

"Look, you only have an hour left on the clock, why don't you—"

"No, I'll earn my paycheck," Naruto said. Kurenai liked getting him away from the Chateau before it closed, probably to avoid customers she considered a danger to him. She was always surprised when he refused her suggestion, but as her face settled into a reluctant resolution, she shook her head.

"Alright. Look, stay after to help clean up." She bustled by him towards the outer door and he glanced up at her as she stared at him, her mouth curling up in irritation. "And for Christ's sake, fix your bow tie."

Naruto glanced down at the small black heckling loop, almost completely twisted on his collar. He let out a sigh and tugged it into place before drifting out into the lounge, wondering if any new drink trays were waiting at the bottle buffet for servers like himself. After spotting one he hoisted it onto his shoulder and wandered out into the clustered gaggle of clientele, hoping he had seen his share of excitement for the night.

As he passed the table he had been seated at earlier he felt his heart turn a little stale, Orochimaru's words running through his head. _A name._ He wondered what it meant, who is was, and what kind of payment Orochimaru would want in return.

After handing out a couple incentive-earning glasses of Riesling wine he glanced over to the table, somewhat expecting a pair of queasy and vexing eyes to be smirking back at him.

Surprisingly enough, the table was empty.

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"These weekend nights are turning out to be very successful," Kurenai said and she finished calculating Naruto's tips from the night before handing the money back to him to pocket. It was nearly two-thousand, not including whatever Orochimaru had abandoned to his tray. He had made sure that Kurenai kept that, mostly because he knew she would stick up for him if there were ever any hang-ups concerning it in the future.

"I'm taking off," Naruto said, and he grabbed his leather jacket from a coat rack towards the rear of the employee lounge area. He never drove his bike to the Chateau, only because he valued it. If there was any place he _knew_ it would be stolen, it was definitely the sordid workplace he was now preparing to leave.

"Alright, be safe," Kurenai said, but her statement was half lost as Naruto turned out into the back alleyway, anxious to get home to Kiba. So many revelations and opportunities had been coming to him lately that it made him feel uncomfortable—he had never been the type to stumble upon luck so easily.

He heard some commotion up ahead and dug his hand into the pocket of his jacket, adjusting a pair of brass knuckles onto his hand. He hated guns and couldn't bring himself to buy something more efficient like a tazor, so he settled for the satisfaction of his own punches for recourse.

As he approached the light of the street he located the source of the noise, two men who didn't look familiar in the darkness. They were leaning against the side of a nail salon parallel to the Chateau, and when Naruto wandered out, their heads jerked up.

"Great," Naruto muttered to himself. From the looks of it, they were Yamato's. One of the men jogged up to him, his face hidden underneath a low-set cap. When he spoke his lips barely moved, and Naruto couldn't tell if his words were threatening or if the person speaking was incapable of tonal emotion.

"Yamato wants Kiba to post bail. He promises fifty-fifty on the next shipment," he said, and Naruto's fist tightened in his pocket.

"Take it up with Kiba," he said smoothly, and effectively turned to walk away. He didn't like the pier-folk. Kiba was one of the few people who raided the docks that he could stand and that was mainly because they had been friends beforehand. The others all sold information to pay the bills—it was enough they knew he and Kiba were close.

A rough hand on his shoulder made him stop in place and his eyes narrowed as the figure spoke again, his voice still void of any sentiment. "If you've got the balls and brains—like you should if you're working with Kiba—you'll tell him."

And just like that the hand was gone from his shoulder and the two men vanished into the night, leaving Naruto angry and frustrated. It wasn't the first time they had gotten in too deep someplace—it wasn't the first time he and Kiba had stayed in one place too long, to the point where too many people knew them and situations became dangerous.

Kiba had a way of getting himself involved in things that were obviously over his head, and Naruto had the talent of always unceremoniously getting him out. But with the piers being so competitive, especially with drug smuggling and ringleaders like Yamato, it was getting more and more difficult to stay uninvolved.

Naruto continued forward on the street, pulling the arm of his leather jacket up to glance down at his watch. The bus he usually took would be arriving any minute, and he had a bone to pick with his roommate.

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**A/N:** Ooooh, the plot thickens-ish. Thank you again for all of the reviews. It will be exciting when Sasuke is in the picture more.


	12. Chapter 12

**Dead Weight**

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**Author: Ladelle**

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Thank you for all of your reviews! I only have a handful left to respond to and I'll be doing that tonight.

I don't think I've mentioned this before, but I encourage you all to visit a website called **Ochiba . net**. I have a few more stories posted there than I do on ff . net, and also, when I get down the road on DW, the more mature chapters will be posted there with their edited counterparts here. I have a link on my author page now, and the only reason I'm making an open promotion is because I don't really know if I'll remain uber active on AFF or ygallery. But Ochiba--for sure! XD

Oooh, I just did this really fun challenge and posted it there, too. It's too bad we can't post challenges here. :looks sad:

Just a nice little author FYI. XD

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**Chapter 12:**

When Naruto finally arrived home to his duplex, it was obvious that Kiba had taken advantage of the fact he had been out all night. There were beer cans and bottles of hard liquor scattered in the living area and a half-opened box of pizza was perched dubiously on the coffee table, surrounded by napkins and used paper plates.

Naruto sighed as he locked the door behind him, shrugging off his jacket as the summer heat began to stifle him; for some reason the inside of their home was always muggy and thick with humidity. After setting his jacket to the side he started to clean the mess, wondering just who Kiba had invited over for a party—and why the brunet never felt the need to let Naruto know.

He stacked used cups into a pile and tossed them into a pop-top wastebasket, sliding the empty pizza box in behind it. After picking up a tornado of napkins that seemed to flood the carpet in front of the television the house suddenly seemed respectable again, and after he tossed the remaining glass bottles, it almost would have passed for clean.

Across from him the door to Kiba's bedroom was propped open, but Naruto didn't feel guilty about making any noise and potentially waking his friend up. He merely glanced up from the trash can and snapped the lid shut, frowning all-the-while.

"What's got you so upset?" Kiba asked, and Naruto snorted.

"I don't like it when you invite people over," Naruto said, but it wasn't to pick a fight. He had a problem with people he didn't know being inside his home—his past made that fear inevitable.

Kiba smirked and wandered out of his bedroom, running a hand through his messy hair. He yawned and tightened the drawstring on his sweatpants, bringing attention to the fact he wasn't wearing a shirt.

"Don't be jealous," the brunet said slyly, "you get _this_ all of the time…" Kiba ran a finger along his navel, following the curve of his abdomen. Naruto snorted.

"You're still drunk," he said, and Kiba frowned and dropped his hand to his side. "Fine, no sexy strip tease for you."

Naruto turned to where he had dropped his jacket, wanting to hang it inside the coat closet instead. As he turned to grab a hanger, he decided to change subjects, not in the mood for Kiba's jokes.

"Two of Yamato's guys were waiting for me at the Chateau," he said somewhat briskly, and at the drop of a pin Kiba was beside him, yanking him by the wrist in an effort to turn him around. Naruto hissed as the brunet's grip forced the hanger from his hands and glared up in surprise and anger.

"What the hell Kiba," he tugged his hand towards him, "let go."

"Why didn't you call?" Kiba demanded, and Naruto once again tried to shimmy out of his grasp. Kiba's eyes were narrowed and stale, as if he was both worried and extremely angry at the same time.

"I didn't need to," Naruto said and he finally yanked his hand away, "Jesus Kiba," he mumbled, and he rubbed the sore bit of red that was beginning to form on his wrist.

"What did they want?" Kiba's voice seemed to calm as he stepped back into the living area, giving Naruto some space. He was obviously relieved that Naruto wasn't hurt or didn't seem intimidated by the encounter.

"What do you think they wanted?" he asked instead, simply because it was obvious Kiba had thought he had been in danger. The brunet folded his arms across his chest and glared out of the window, looking like he had business he wanted to keep to himself.

It frustrated Naruto.

"Look Kiba," Naruto stood in front of his friend, "they wanted me to tell you to bail Yamato out. Why did _you_ think they followed me there?"

Kiba glanced down at him, relief washing over his features. Naruto read it perfectly easily and continued to frown, especially when Kiba avoided his question all together.

"Is that it?" he asked, and he let out a breath before turning towards the kitchen. This time Naruto reached forward and grabbed Kiba, pulling him backwards.

"Don't keep things from me," he said, and as much as he wanted it to sound like a warning, it came out more as a plea. Even Kiba seemed surprised because his hazel eyes widened and settled into a gaze that was almost protective.

"We agreed to stay here until you were able to get names," Kiba recalled, "and so far, even after a few months, we haven't really gotten much…"

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "What are you trying to say?"

Kiba glanced up, his expression something both definite and apologetic. "Don't get defensive. I'm just saying that our ways of gathering information have been… too careful. You can't expect to learn anything if all you ever do is listen and never take the time to ask."

Naruto frowned, wondering when Kiba had started to feel they way he had just explained. There were reasons they floated under the radar, even if Kiba didn't entirely understand them. "What does any of that have to do with Yamato's guys?"

Kiba sat down on the couch and stared at the floor, looking a lot like a child that had been caught doing something they were told not to. It took a minute for Naruto to take in the expression before his face soured and he let out a frustrated sigh.

"Who have you told?" he asked, reading Kiba perfectly. "And what?" he finished, taking a long breath to calm himself. It wasn't as if they associated with quiet people, and the walls always had ears.

Kiba glanced up at him and shook his head. "Just that I was looking for any information related to Minato Namikaze," he said. "A lot of the people at the pier talk to people who talk to Zabuza's people so I thought it was a step in the right direction."

Naruto frowned. "Why would that have endangered either of us then?" He was beginning to feel himself grow fidgety, especially with how straightforward Kiba was acting.

"I think that someone knows who killed him," Kiba stated. "And for some reason… no one will talk about it. Like he's being protected or something. And if he's being protected, anyone looking for him is considered—"

"An enemy," Naruto said smoothly, and he shook his head before sitting down next to Kiba.

"I didn't want to tell you," Kiba said evenly, "because I know that you like it here."

It was a strange comment for the brunet to make and Naruto opened his mouth to argue, only to close it. It was true. Of all the places they had drifted to, this city was the best. He had a decent job and made good money, and his reputation was bold enough to avoid any dangers aside from the ones he sought.

"Zabuza's reach is so far," Naruto breathed instead, mimicking Kiba as he fell back against the cushions of the couch. "It's like we get closer and closer and then further and further away at the same time."

Kiba nodded but didn't turn to face him. He looked thoughtful for a moment. "There are only two people we need though. Uchiha and the man who pulled the trigger. Those are the ones you want, right?"

Naruto nodded absently, memories beginning to drift through the windows of his mind. He could remember that voice threatening his father… he could see his father's face as it contorted in pain, telling him to run. The images became less clear as time went on, as if time itself were washing away the anger he had inside of him.

But it hadn't.

He had made a vow and he would keep it—because his father had made him promise. And even if he had been the worst son—not able to even save the life of the person closest to him—he could at least fulfill one promise, and avenge that person's death.

"Naruto," Kiba's voice sounded from beside him, seeming vaguely worried. When Naruto opened his eyes—he hadn't even realized he had closed them—Kiba was hovering beside him, his face inches away.

"Are you still angry at me?" he asked, and he crept forward, smirking as their faces wound up inches apart. It seemed like a few moments that they just stared at each other, until Kiba made a sated noise in the base of his throat.

Naruto let Kiba kiss him, taking advantage of the attention. It was a hungry kiss, devouring him; Kiba's way of resolving conflicts. They weren't lovers although they had done enough together to earn the title, just two friends with too much unresolved tension.

Naruto broke the kiss, feeling obstinate. With everything that had happened over the past couple of days, it hardly felt like the moment for pure unadulterated sex.

"Whoa, too angry for make-up sex?" Kiba asked, diving back against him in an effort to line kisses along his neck and jaw. Naruto pushed him back lightly, looking serious.

"Too tired for _pointless_ sex," he supplied, and he pushed himself up from the couch, wanting nothing more than to go to sleep.

His relationship with Kiba was changing.

It had started with Kiba being someone he could lean on—someone he could follow. He depended on the brunet for the majority of his younger years—through the abuse of Kiba's parents to their first throes of freedom—and now, he was older. Naruto could make it on his own if he needed to…and he wanted to find things outside of the friendship he and Kiba had built. He wanted to find people outside of it.

Naruto wanted to meet new people—like Kiba had. Naruto didn't know any of the people Kiba had invited over, of that he was sure. But he wanted to be free of the chains he had developed over the years… and wished his revenge on Itachi and the shooter didn't seem so far away.

With that on his mind he always felt like a man in a tunnel, with one direction to go, and one person to depend on—himself.

"I think I'm going to get some rest," Naruto said to Kiba, and he stretched, watching as Kiba watched him with analyzing eyes from behind.

Naruto drifted into his bathroom and ran some cold water onto his hands, splashing it over his face. The cold sensation felt good after such a long night, and he rubbed his eyes, feeling them burn a little. The only thing he truly hated about the chateau was the fact smoking was allowed inside—it always seemed to smother him.

He heard a knock sound on the living room door as he turned off the faucet, waving his arms around in search of a towel to wipe his face with. He shook his head, feeling stubborn. Even if he rejected Kiba's advances, the brunet always had someone else.

Naruto pulled off his button-up shirt as he wandered into his room, losing it on his floor as he searched for a t-shirt that smelled less like alcohol and tobacco. He settled for a plain black tee, pulled it over his shoulders, and whipped his head to the side as he heard Kiba's voice raise a decibel, in something like a warning.

Did he not know the person at the door?

"I asked who the fuck you were," Naruto heard Kiba say as he wandered out, ready to defend whatever the situation. He was surprised when an icy stare met his curious one, completely shocked to see Sasuke Uchiha standing at his door—he glanced at his clock—at nearly eight in the morning.

Kiba seemed to follow the stranger's stare to Naruto because he twisted around, giving the blond a decently displeased expression. Naruto glanced from him to Sasuke, noting how he hadn't told Kiba about their meeting yet. And considering the circumstances of what Kiba had told other men about at the pier, he wasn't sure if he wanted to.

While he was the type to use Sasuke to get to Itachi without being physical, Kiba was the complete opposite. Everything with him was a means to an end, and for some reason, Naruto felt slightly protective over his new acquaintance.

"Kiba," Naruto said, and it was all he needed to say for the brunet to understand that Naruto knew the person standing at the door. Naruto looked apologetic for a moment and held up a finger to Sasuke, motioning for him to wait a minute. He jogged back to his room and grabbed his wallet, shoving it into his back pocket. He never took it with him to the club because of the sketchy area.

Grabbing his keys off his dresser he came back out, wanting to get Sasuke away from Kiba, especially when his roommate's eyes were roaming over the raven in a look that mimicked either protectiveness or jealousy—which, he wasn't sure.

"I'm sorry, I'll be back in a bit," Naruto said and he eagerly exited, grinning something extreme as he pulled the door shut behind him. After it clicked closed he let out a long breath before glaring up at the college student.

"You have a lot of nerve coming to my house," he said, and he shoved his keys into his front pocket.

Sasuke, who had looked livid the entire time, merely snorted. "You're the one who told me to come find you," he stated, and Naruto couldn't argue. He _had_ told him that… but he had expected Sasuke to find him at one of his jobs or at the bike shop—not to track him to his residence.

"And 'Kyuubi' got you here?" Naruto raised an eyebrow, glancing back at his duplex door.

"Of course not," Sasuke said, and Naruto noticed how pale he looked under the orange overtones of the rising sun. "You're license number did," he said firmly, and even from their position on the porch, the small back end of Naruto's bike could be seen in the garage.

"When were you sober enough to get my license number?" Naruto ventured, looking even more curious. He must have sounded self-satisfied because Sasuke's expression dimmed substantially.

Without answering the question the dark-haired college student turned away, walking impatiently down the sidewalk leading to the street. Naruto glanced around and noticed that there weren't any cars parked nearby, and wondered just how Sasuke had arrived. It wasn't as if the trip was short, either.

"And where do you think you're going?" Naruto asked, letting his voice carry the ten or so feet Sasuke had walked away. When the brunet turned to face him, Naruto smirked. "You came to pay me back, right?"

"I don't owe you anything." The Uchiha said, but he didn't walk away. Naruto strode up to him and laughed. "Then why are you here?"

As Sasuke stared at him Naruto remembered more of him. Even though the Asian's eyes were dark from a distance, they were surprisingly hazel up close—and his pale skin was completely flawless; like a porcelain doll. Naruto recalled thinking that Sasuke was very pretty as a child, and was surprised to find he had the same opinion now.

"What do you want?"

Naruto was surprised when Sasuke asked because he had expected him to be the type to claim eternal denial. He looked thoughtful for a moment, debating on how to approach the situation. If he straight out asked about Itachi, it would cause problems. It was obvious Sasuke wasn't fond of him, and in a small part of his mind, he wanted that fact to change.

"Go on a date with me," Naruto said suddenly, cocking his head up and into Sasuke's shadow. The sun had been bright against his face.

Sasuke was wearing a nice jacket and it crinkled as he tensed, something Naruto found amusing. "And why would you assume that I'm gay?" he questioned, looking insulted.

Naruto smirked and pointed to the ground. "Those are _not_ straight man shoes," he said confidently, mostly because they were completely unscuffed and polished. "And this," he ran a hand through a long set of layers that tapered against Sasuke's face, "is not straight man hair."

Sasuke slapped Naruto's hand away after looking caught off guard and he glanced down at his feet. When he brought his vision back up to Naruto he looked smug. "_These," _he said, referring to his shoes, "are rich people shoes. I wouldn't expect you to under—"

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto said, walking briskly past him. He knew he was right, no matter what arguments Sasuke had prepared for him. Even Sasuke's apartment attendant had said that his roommate brought home men… and in Naruto's experience with straight men, he had never met even one that would stand a homosexual roommate.

"Are you coming?" Naruto asked when he reached the sidewalk, flinching as the sun hit him again. Sasuke looked defeated, although he was doing a brilliant job of covering it up. He frowned, irritation crossing his features.

"I'm not going anywhere with someone who won't even tell me their name," he put out, looking firm in his decision. Naruto laughed, "I already told you, my name is—"

"I'm not calling you 'Kyuubi'. That's the stupidest shit I've ever heard."

Naruto frowned before letting out a sigh. He was thoughtful for a moment, debating on what to say. He decided that his first name would be fine.

"Naruto," he said simply, and Sasuke stood for a moment, as if debating on whether to believe him, or ask for a last name to match.

"Naruto," he repeated, and the blond nodded, looking smug.

"If you want to know more about me, because I see you looking curious over there," he said, "we _are_ about to go on a date."

Sasuke shook his head and drifted forward, walking past Naruto onto the sidewalk, ignoring him. "You're an idiot."

Naruto followed from behind, a smile tugging at his lips. He was lucky Sasuke had come at all…

…and at the rate they were going, he would have information on Itachi in no time.

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**A/N:** A few people have reviewed and said that they haven't liked how fast I've re-introduced Sasuke, but I can guarantee it is all for a reason. My mind goes at its own pace and I've gotta follow my writing intuition, lol. I appreciate all of the advice though, so please continue to guide me.

**Real Naruto Spoilers (Anime)**

Okay, so I'm not going to lie, I'm actually liking the fillers...which seems like I should be bopped on the head or something for admitting. There are so many yaoi allusions though!! Sai trying to comfort Naruto and him being like, 'I don't swing that way...!", or when the enemy chick tried to kiss him and he said, "I've kissed before...!! Even if it was a guy..." (insert memory of kissing Sasuke).

They're really cracking me up. XD


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